'Nervous' Harry Maguire ruthlessly ripped apart in scathing criticism, told he should play for 'small team from bottom of league'

Harry Maguire has been told that he is “too nervous and too slow” to play for a club like Manchester United and should be playing for a “small team from the bottom of the league.”

That is according to former United defender Paul Parker, who claimed Maguire’s current predicament at Old Trafford is “embarrassing now.”

Maguire retained the United armband under Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag, but the England defender lost his place in the starting XI this season.

The 29­-year-old United star has been widely criticised since his sensational £80m transfer from Leicester City, with Maguire reduced to 19 appearances this season.

Despite his lack of first-team minutes with United, Maguire proved his critics wrong at the World Cup in Qatar after an impressive run of form with England.

Maguire has struggled to bring his England form back with him to Old Trafford and made only two starts in United’s last five matches since the World Cup.

The United captain, who is under contract until 2025, could be loaned out in January in a bid for Maguire to secure regular first-team minutes.

Bookies have also slashed odds on Maguire to make a sensational move to Premier League side Aston Villa before the January window closes.

Parker pulled no punches towards the under-fire Maguire and believes Ten Hag should strip the captain’s armband from the United centre-back.

Alamy

“Honestly, the situation with Harry Maguire is embarrassing now,” he told My Betting Sites.

“The way he is taking away the armband from Bruno Fernandes is miserable.

“He should never do that and Erik ten Hag needs to take the decision now to take away the armband from Maguire for good.

Parker added: “I’m not sure that he will find a new club in January.

“It will be very tough for a sporting director to convince the fans that he is a good signing at any club.

“Maybe he could go out on loan but then it will be a small team from the bottom of the league.

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“He can’t play for a top side like Man City, Liverpool or Newcastle because they are defending with a high line.

“He needs to play for a team that defends with a low block because he is too nervous and too slow to play for a big club.

“But I think he is quite happy at Man United and most likely he will settle and enjoy his time on the bench because he knows that any other club would be a step down from Man United.”