In Focus: Three Lions king Maguire out to restore his pride at Old Trafford

Harry Maguire produced a number of commanding performances for England at the World Cup — and will be hoping that form can revive his ailing Manchester United career. 

Maguire, 29, has hardly featured for his club so far this season but was a key man for Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate in Qatar. 

The centre-back has been regularly criticised since joining the Red Devils from Leicester and he now appears to have lost his starting place under Erik ten Hag. 

Ahead of the Red Devils' Carabao Cup fourth-round clash with Burnley, we take a look at the Yorkshireman's future prospects.

Weighty price tag

Maguire joined United from Leicester in the summer of 2019. 

Old Trafford chiefs shelled out £80million — a fee that surpassed the £75m Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk and made him the world's most expensive defender. 

But he has not enjoyed the same level of success in Manchester as the Dutchman has on Merseyside.

Maguire's time at United has not been a total disaster — he played every game of their 2019-20 Premier League season, becoming their first outfield player to do so since 1995 — but he has not lived up to expectations either.

Miserly minutes

Ten Hag's appointment at Old Trafford last summer did Maguire's United career no favours. 

The Dutch coach elected to bring in Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez from Ajax and it quite quickly became evident that club captain Maguire was no longer seen as a regular starter. 

Martinez — significantly shorter but far more comfortable in possession and less error-prone — has developed an impressive partnership with Raphael Varane at the heart of United's defence ever since. 

Martinez, Varane and Victor Lindelof have played 1,205, 686 and 350 minutes of Premier League football so far this season, while Maguire has only managed 280.

Strong under Southgate

Southgate, however, has been a staunch supporter of Maguire, keeping faith with the defender even after he had been dropped at club level. 

And the 53-cap international repaid that trust in the Middle East — starting all five matches and hardly putting a foot wrong. 

Southgate's back-up centre-backs Eric Dier and Conor Coady were unable to dislodge the Red Devils skipper, who formed a strong partnership with Manchester City's John Stones.

Stones was the ball-player, while the ex-Sheffield United man was tasked with organising the defence — he won seven tackles and 15 aerial duels across the tournament, while also making four interceptions.

Red Devil determination

Maguire will feel vindicated by the strength of his performances in Qatar but returns to a difficult situation at Old Trafford — Martinez and Varane went all the way to the World Cup final with Argentina and France. 

Displacing them will be difficult — especially given Ten Hag's preference for central defenders that are comfortable in possession. 

The ex-Ajax boss has proven himself to be a stern operator and will certainly not be moved from his principles. 

The task of returning the club to the elite of European football will not be easy and convincing the 52-year-old tactician may prove equally difficult.

Crunch time

Whether Ten Hag's incarnation of the Red Devils includes Maguire is up for debate. 

The January transfer window is just around the corner and many observers are predicting that the club's No5 could leave Old Trafford for pastures new — but Ten Hag says there is still a place for him. 

He said: "[Maguire will only leave] if he does not want to be in these circumstances any more. 

"Until that moment, I am happy with him. I have said it to him and you — I can do nothing more. It is up to him to contribute and play himself into the team." 

That mission could well get under way when United face Burnley tonight.