England’s defender Harry Maguire has shrugged off the hostile treatment from opposition supporters, asserting that it eases the pressure on his teammates. This comes after the Manchester United center-back was taunted by Scotland fans following his own goal during Tuesday’s match.
Maguire, aged 30, was brought on at halftime in the Glasgow game with England leading 2-0. However, he inadvertently gave the hosts a glimmer of hope by accidentally directing a low cross into his own net in the 67th minute.
Despite the mockery he faced from Scottish fans, Maguire downplayed the situation, describing it as “a little bit of banter.” He acknowledged that such experiences allow his teammates to perform better under pressure, stating, “It pretty much takes the pressure away from my teammates and puts it all on myself. It makes them play better, for sure. We knew coming here, when you hear the national anthem and the way they disrespect that, we knew it would be hostile, and in the second half, I got most of it. I am happy to go with that, don’t worry about that.”
Maguire, who joined Manchester United from Leicester City for a record £80 million ($99.94 million) in 2019, faced a challenging season. He was stripped of the club captaincy by manager Erik ten Hag in July and struggled to secure first-team football at the Premier League side. He was also linked with a potential move away from Old Trafford during the close season.
Reflecting on his situation, Maguire remarked, “The first four weeks were hard because it was one game a week, and the manager didn’t select me, but we have lots of games coming up now, and I am sure I will play lots of games.”
