Here's a quiz question that shouldn't take too long to answer: Which Premier League club has a fifth-choice central defender who cost £80million and is still club captain?
The answer, of course, is Manchester United. The question isn't designed to denigrate Harry Maguire. More to point out how unsustainable a situation this is.
Maguire remains a central defender worthy of the Premier League. His performances for England are still good. He just can't get a consistent run of games for United.
A fresh start might free Maguire from the status as he has developed as a pantomime villain. If it's just about understandable that some United fans are critical of him, his treatment from England supporters and the wider football public is just odd. ALSO READ: Ten Hag has seven players he can completely count on It's worth considering how much criticism Maguire would be getting this week if he'd produced a performance as poor as Fikayo Tomori's for AC Milan against Inter in the Champions League semi-final first leg.