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After last month’s international break, Harry Maguire was one of the most castigated players in world football. The defender had a poor showing for England, which culminated in a 1-0 loss to Denmark.
To make matters worse, the Manchester United captain was sent off midway through the first half. This added to the shambolic start the defender had made to the season, having also been arrested in Greece during the summer.
Nothing seemed to be going Harry Maguire’s way back then and the only people who publicly offered their support for the player were Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskajer and England boss Gareth Southgate.
“He’s going through one of those periods where a lot of things are going against him,” Southgate told talkSPORT after Harry Maguire’s disastrous outing against Denmark.
“He’s getting all sorts of comments from people who should know better. But he’s strong and he’s just got to tough this period out. You have these periods as human beings when life doesn’t always go smoothly. He’ll get through it and he’ll be a better player and a stronger for it," added Southgate.
A month later and everything looks different from the player now. Harry Maguire has managed to refind his form at club level and has also returned to his best for his national side.
On Thursday, the 27-year-old was named captain for England’s international friendly against Ireland. While he failed on national duty a month ago, this time around, he led by example as the Three Lions recorded a 3-0 win over Ireland.
Harry Maguire opened the scoring for Southgate’s side in the 18th minute with a towering header, and goals from Jadon Sancho and Dominic Calvert-Lewin sealed the result.
Maguire's goal may have been the highlight of the night, but he offered more than that. He initiated attacks from the back with his superb passing ability while also intercepting numerous passes with his aerial dominance.
If there’s anything to be said about Maguire’s performances in the last one month, it is that he’s gradually getting back to his best for both club and country. The former Leicester City star played a key role as Manchester United secured Champions League football last season but he’s been far from his best for long periods this season.
However, Maguire has put in assured performances in recent weeks and his latest performance for England is further evidence of his improvement.
