Harry Maguire dropped by Erik ten Hag for Liverpool clash

Harry Maguire was dropped for Manchester United’s crucial clash against Liverpool on Monday night with Raphaël Varane and Lisandro Martínez having been paired together in training last week.

Erik ten Hag is seeking an urgent reaction from his crisis torn United side after dismal defeats by Brighton and Brentford piled the pressure on the manager just two games into his reign.

Maguire was retained as captain by Ten Hag this summer but the England defender has lost his place in the team against Liverpool after the manager opted to partner Varane and Martínez in training sessions in recent days.

Martínez was substituted at half-time of United’s 4-0 capitulation at Brentford nine days ago but Ten Hag mounted a robust defence of his new £57 million signing and insisted he could have removed any one of his players. 

Maguire played the full 90 minutes in both the 2-1 loss at home to Brighton and the humiliation at Brentford but he was poor in each game. He also struggled terribly in United’s 5-0 and 4-0 hammerings by Liverpool last season.

Varane appeared to have fallen down the pecking order under Ten Hag but the France defender made his first appearance of the campaign as a half-time substitute for Martínez against Brentford and comes into the side against Liverpool.

Victor Lindelof is injured and Eric Bailly is surplus to requirements and in talks over a loan move to Marseille.

Ten Hag confirmed last week that Anthony Martial was available again after missing United’s first two games with a hamstring injury.

But it remains to be seen if Ten Hag opts to parachute Martial into his starting XI or keep faith with unsettled striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

Casemiro will be unveiled at Old Trafford on Monday night after completing his