Gareth Southgate is standing squarely behind Harry Maguire - insisting he’s still among the best for club and country.
Manchester United's centre-half was the subject of abuse during the last international double-header which forced the Three Lions’ head coach into the unusual position of firing a few shots at supporters in defence of the 29-year-old. Southgate added AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori to his squad for the Nations League and omitted Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings. But he said that Maguire remains one of the best options at his disposal.
He said: “There’s obviously a big change around at Manchester United and that’s going to affect everything. For me, he’s still their best centre-back - I’m sure the new manager will watch the games back and have his own view.
“For us, with all our data across the season, he’s been the same. Although the perception is that he is at a certain level, he’s still among our top two or three. The fact is that Harry and John have been our best pairing.”
Asked if he had any regrets about speaking out, Southgate added: “I think it was right to make the point. I didn’t understand how a player - who hadn’t even kicked a ball in the game and who has been one of England’s best players for over four years - it was hard to quantify what he had done when there are boos when his name is read out.
“I didn’t understand that. I spoke to Harry briefly after the game but he kind of got on with it.”
Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford remain out of Southgate’s thinking. With time running out now before the World Cup kicks off in November, he said there was time for them to play themselves back into his thoughts.
He said: “They can get back because there’s enough games at the beginning of next season for people to play their way in. But, of course, it’s more difficult, the closer we get.
“They have to start playing well for their club. Neither of them have really played at the end of the season. Playing for England is a consequence of what you’re doing for your club and you’ve got to get that bit right.”
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