Graeme Souness slams 'vile' abuse of Manchester United captain Harry Maguire

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has received the backing of former Liverpool star Graeme Souness, who has hit out at the ‘vile’ abuse directed at the defender.

The England international has endured a difficult year at Old Trafford and was dropped by manager Erik ten Hag after United's 4-0 thrashing at Brentford. Since then, the club has embarked on a four-game winning run, with a new central defensive partnership of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez delivering a number of impressive showings.

Maguire was criticised for his personal performance in England's Nations League match against Germany earlier this week, with the 29-year-old conceding a penalty in the 3-3 draw. The former Leicester man has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, and Liverpool legend Souness has hit out at his critics, praising Maguire for his honesty and resilience in the face of almost relentless abuse.

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Souness wrote for the Daily Mail: "Maguire is at particular risk of the kind of pile-on we’re seeing because a failing Manchester United made him the most expensive central defender in the world and then made him their captain.

"So he becomes a lightning rod for all United’s ills. All the club’s failings are piled at his door. Ridiculous. I can’t remember a game United lost because of Harry Maguire alone.

"He has been guilty of making mistakes. But if you make a mistake in that position, it generally leads to an effort on your goal. You’re relying on having good central midfielders in front of you, putting the ball under pressure, trying to protect you at all times, making sure that if a ball is played through into your area, it’s of no great