Man Utd training suggests Erik ten Hag is dropping Harry Maguire for Liverpool clash

Erik ten Hag has been pairing Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez at centre-back in Manchester United training this week, suggesting Harry Maguire could be dropped for the clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday night.

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Varane has been on the bench for United’s first two games of the season as the Red Devils fell to defeats to Brighton and Brentford.

Things are not getting any easier with the visit of Liverpool and Ten Hag needs to make changes, with centre-back looking like the place he intends to switch things up.

The Telegraph report that it has been a pairing of Varane and Martinez in training at Carrington this week, which suggests they will be in place at Old Trafford against their fierce rivals.

Varane replaced Martinez at half-time against Brentford last Saturday, seemingly improving the situation as the score was 4-0 when he came on and that’s how it ended.

With the Frenchman out of the side at the start of the campaign, it appeared that he was behind Maguire and Martinez in the pecking order, but it may have been part of his build back up to full fitness.

Ten Hag said that Varane was on an individual training programme over pre-season to get him match sharp, and now might be the time that he is back to his best.

Speaking ahead of the season opener against Brighton, Ten Hag said: ‘During pre-season we built a real careful and individual training plan that in the last three weeks he has been involved in every session on the pitch.

‘I am really happy about that. You see him growing, his fitness levels and also his performances levels too.

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