Man Utd: Harry Maguire's highlights vs Palace catch the eye amid booing

Harry Maguire has come under no end of criticism as Manchester United captain since the start of last season.

It felt like it took just a few weeks of the 2021/21 campaign for all the brilliant form that he’d shown the previous year, as well as at Euro 2020 with England, to be forgotten and for universal criticism to take its place.

Now, don’t get it twisted, Maguire was incredibly poor at times last season and ultimately played 30 times at the heart of a Premier League defence that conceded more goals than relegated Burnley.

In fact, the man himself was happy to hold his hands up and admit that the last 12 months have not at all represented what he can truly offer at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.

According to the Telegraph, Maguire told fans at a Q&A event in Melbourne this week: “Listen, last year was disappointing, as an individual I didn’t play well and as team we certainly didn’t play well.

“But a good career can last 10 to 15 years and you’re never going to have every year where it’s plain sailing and you don’t have any difficulties. You’re going to have to fight, you’re going to have set backs and last year was certainly a set back for myself on my career path.

“But it’s behind us now and we look forward to the future and getting this club back to winning trophies, which is what it’s all about.”

We dare posit that Maguire isn’t the first player to endure a difficult season and he most certainly wasn’t alone when it came to United stars who saw their form fall off a cliff across 2021/22.

As such, it has been uncomfortable to witness the avalanche of criticism that has continued to be poured upon Maguire despite Erik ten Hag having come out publicly and backed him as the club captain.

And the lingering disdain for