There is one art of captaincy Harry Maguire has perfected this season, but then he's had a lot of practice at the solemn, sorrowful post-match interview after another Manchester United debacle.
It was Maguire who fronted up to some of the TV cameras after the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday and gave an honest and insightful view of what had gone wrong. Maguire was also the United player who got closest to the away end to thank fans for their support and, after the match, looked genuinely hurt at having - collectively - let them down so often this season.
United have now lost nine times in all competitions in 2021/22, 10 if you include losing on penalties to Middlesbrough, but it's the nature of those defeats that has often been so hard to comprehend. This team has been embarrassed in losing to Leicester, Liverpool, Watford and now twice to City. United's players have become the masters of social media apologies.
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Maguire has certainly become a lightning rod for what has turned into as bleak a season as any United have experienced since 2013 and the centre back has had a wretched time of things. But fronting up for post-match interviews is only a small part of a captain's remit and although Maguire has now led United out well over 100 times, his days as skipper must be close to coming to an end.
Appointed as interim manager, Ralf Rangnick maybe felt little need to make such a seismic decision. He nailed his colours to the mast last month when speculation grew that Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't happy with United's leader.
"I have never spoken with any player about a possible change of captaincy, Harry was fully aware of that, so was Cristiano and the other players. This has never been an issue for me," said Rangnick.
"It's me who decides who's the captain and therefore there is no reason for me to speak about that with another person. Harry is our captain and he will stay our captain until the end of the season and there is nothing else to add on to that.
"I'm not frustrated at all because I know it's not true. I told you about Harry being the captain, it's not an issue at all, it's never been an issue for us or myself as manager."
But United's next permanent manager will have a clean slate to work with. In order to make a completely fresh start the time is probably right to hand the armband over.
Maguire's promotion through the ranks came within six months of his arrival from Leicester City and he was one of very few candidates in January 2020, but that is now not the case. United's squad doesn't lack for experience and Raphael Varane has captained Real Madrid previously.
It's clear United need a new voice and a switch in leadership in the dressing room and the dugout could be vital to that shift in direction. Maguire's authority has diminished this season with his struggle for form.
Losing the captaincy will be a blow but a shrewd man-manager can help Maguire overcome that. There are some United fans who would be happy to see him leave this summer, but that is unrealistic and instead, the task for Mauricio Pochettino, Erik ten Hag or someone else is to help the 29-year-old rediscover his best form.
It's easy to forget now that 12 months ago Maguire was playing very well for United and his absence towards the end of the season was keenly felt. In the five games he missed at the end of the season United conceded nine goals and won only once.
He was then voted into the team of the tournament at Euro 2020, alongside winner Leonardo Bonucci. This season's dramatic slump in form is all the more difficult to understand.
Like so many in this United squad, Maguire looks worn down by a season that promised so much but has delivered disappointment by the bucket load. Plenty of players need a break and a chance to reset.
Losing the burden of captaincy could help Maguire do just that. There is no reason he can't make a partnership with Varane work still.
Not only does Maguire have the weight of the captaincy, but he has also to deal with an £80million price tag. There is no concept of value in football at the highest level and a player is worth what a team will pay for him.
United paid that sum to Leicester City in one go, so desperate were they to sign Maguire, but making him the most expensive defender of all time when he had no experience of playing for a club with the stature or spotlight of United was a risk. Doubly so when he was then made captain.
It would require United to write off at least half of that sum if they were to sell Maguire now, an embarrassment they are unlikely to consider. Instead, the next manager will need to try and get the best out of him once again, a task that might be made easier by switching the captaincy, a decision that could benefit the squad as well as Maguire.
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