Man United interim boss Ralf Rangnick has made his case clear on the future of Harry Maguire as club captain.
The centre-back has come under fire recently for his performances, with many fans of the belief that he should be stripped of the captaincy due to his poor form.
Maguire has been the leader at Old Trafford since January of 2020, five months after he joined the club from Leicester City for a reported £80 million fee.
It doesn't seem like the 28-year-old has adjusted well to Rangnick's new tactical philosophy. Last week, he was at fault against Burnley for Jay Rodriguez's equaliser.
But Rangnick doesn't appear to share the same sentiment as most fans. In his eyes, he remains firm that Harry Maguire should stay as captain going forward.
Harry Maguire 🆚 Burnley
90 minutes
0 goals
0 assists
0 interceptions
0 blocked shots
0 shots on target
0 key passes
0 crossss
13 possession lost
1 dribbled past
82% pass accuracy
1 fouls
1 offsides
6.4 SofaScore rating #BURMUN pic.twitter.com/fBECXHrzAn— Fast Heat Maps (@NinjaFooty) February 9, 2022
"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 told Sky Sports.
"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."
The German interim boss admitted that the style of play he's brought in at Man United might not suit Maguire. However, he believes he'll adjust over time.
"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," Rangnick said.
"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."
Man United's Deeper Problems
It's unlikely many Man United fans will lose sleep about an FA Cup exit, which came at the hands of Middlesborough two weeks ago.
However, finishing in the Champions League places this season will be paramount. Without top European football, it might be a less desirable destination for transfer targets in the summer. United are also in the last 16 of the Champions League and have a huge tie next week against Atletico Madrid
Many have pointed to a systemic problem at Old Trafford beyond performances, including former Man United man Gary Neville, who didn't appear pleased at the 'Ted Lasso' leak last week.
Alan Shearer also spoke about some of the 'deeper' problems at the club that stem beyond Maguire and his teammates in a column for The Athletic.
"They have become an interim football club, a club of caretakers, where authority has become diluted and players inhabit a world of excuses, who have spent an absolute fortune to become truly unexceptional."
"On the pitch, they are frayed and ragged, edgy and bad-tempered, casting around for someone else to blame, unsure of who and what they are," Shearer added.
You can read the full piece here.
See Also: Gary Neville Was Disgusted By 'Ted Lasso' Comments From Manchester United Players
