"Really unfair" - Teddy Sheringham accuses Manchester United teammates of hanging 30-year-old out to dry
Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham has called out the team for their failure to support struggling centre-back Harry Maguire amid another challenging season.
Maguire, once a prominent figure in the Red Devils' defense, has now slipped behind teammates Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, and even Luke Shaw.
This season, Maguire has started a mere seven Premier League games under Erik ten Hag despite being the club captain. Sheringham, a former United striker with three Premier League titles to his name, insists that the defender's teammates bear some responsibility for his poor performance. He accused them of not doing enough to help him succeed.
Sheringham cited former Red Devils defender Steve Bruce as an example of how a player like Maguire could have received better support. He emphasized that the Englishman remains a top talent, but has not received the help he needs at Manchester United.
The United legend explained in an interview with Lord Ping (via Mirror):
"He's playing at the top of the game. I don’t think he has had a lot of help while he's been at Manchester United, he hasn’t been helped by the defenders around him and takes a lot of criticism."
Sheringham also highlighted Maguire's strong performances for the English national team:
"Whenever he's played for England, he hasn't let them down. Southgate trusts him as a key man in his defensive unit. I feel like Maguire gets exposed quite a lot at Manchester United."
Drawing on the past, Sheringham elaborated:
"If you go back a few years and look at Steve Bruce, I bet you he would have been ripped apart if he was left one-on-one, but he had Gary Neville and Gary Pallister alongside him; they didn’t leave any gaps for the opponent to exploit. That’s what you do as a back four – you don’t leave your center backs isolated."
Teddy Sheringham believes a move away from Manchester United is near for Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire's future at Old Trafford appears increasingly uncertain as Manchester United prepare to revamp their defensive lineup. With his starting position slipping away, Teddy Sheringham suggests that it will be a long journey for the defender to regain his spot on the team.
In the interview with Lord Ping, Sheringham opined (via Mirror):
"I think Harry Maguire's been hung out to dry a little bit at Manchester United. I think it’s a long road back for him to get his United place back. Whoever does get him, if he does leave in the summer, they’ll be signing a formidable defender."
Sheringham believes that, based on Maguire's recent performances, a change of scenery is necessary for the center-back to thrive and reach their full potential:
"Sadly, it looks like he will move on. He’s a player that has taken a lot of stick, which is really unfair in my opinion. Sometimes a player needs a new environment to flourish. I think he’s been at the club in a very challenging period."
Maguire, 30, joined Manchester United from Leicester City for a record fee for a defender (£80 million) in 2019. He has since made 173 appearances for the club.