Harry Maguire: Man Utd captain facing axe for Liverpool game

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Harry Maguire: Man Utd captain facing axe for Liverpool game

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could be set to drop club captain Harry Maguire having paired Raphael Varane with Lisandro Martinez in training.

Maguire has come under heavy criticism over the last 12 months for his performances at the Red Devils, and with the 13-time Premier League champions already conceding six goals in two games this season, calls for changes in defence have become even louder.

Those calls may be heeded on Monday evening, with the Daily Mail reporting that Martinez and Varane are set to start together for the first time against Liverpool.

The latter made his season debut in the 4-0 defeat to Brentford in gameweek two, coming off of the bench in the second half notably after the Bees scored their four goals. As for Martinez, he's been in the thick of the action in the first few weeks, and has been tipped by Ten Hag to succeed at Old Trafford, even after a rather poor outing at Brentford.

"I don't think it was a tough 45 minutes anymore than any other player on the pitch,'' Ten Hag said, when quizzed on how the 24-year-old is adapting to the demands of English football.

''I saw from his stats he won his aerial duels and his individual challenges. He was always good with his passing and he also made some mistakes as did the whole team."

Maguire, like a number of other high-profile centre-backs, has been linked with a move to Chelsea in recent weeks, although Wesley Fofana is still very much the club's priority in the transfer market.