Manchester United interim boss, Ralf Rangnick has thrown his weight behind Harry Maguire, and insists he will not drop the £80million man to the bench after a poor run of form.
The 28-year-old former Leicester City defender has come under severe criticism, with a section of Manchester United fans calling for the head of the skipper.
Five months after joining Manchester United, Harry Maguire was handed the captain’s armband under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but recent performances against Burnley and Southampton have convinced some fans that he is better served without it.
However, the new Manchester United boss says he sees no need to drop him from the starting XI or strip him of the captaincy ahead of the clash against Brighton and Hove Albion.
‘I think when he came back after his injury, he did extremely well. He had a very good performance, a very good game against West Ham,’ Rangnick said.
‘In the past two games, yeah he had some weaker moments, against Southampton and when we conceded the goal at Burnley, but he’s our captain and I don’t see any reason to change that.’
Maguire was utilised in a back three and back four under Solskjaer, and Rangnick claims the defender – who has made 132 appearances for the Red Devils -still needs time to get used to playing in a flat back four.
‘He’s a player who has to develop, get better, like all the other players,’ he added.
‘The way that we are playing now is new also to him because in the English national team he was used to playing in a back three and here at Manchester United, in most cases a back four, but still not being as proactive, not with that kind of rest defence always being on the front foot when we are trying to defend.
‘This is something also new to him, and it will also take some time for him to get used to that, to get adjusted to that.’
Manchester United are bidding to end the season in the top four, with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves on their tail.
