Paul Merson Feels 'Sorry' For Harry Maguire. 'I Don't Think They Play To His Strengths'

The England international has been criticised throughout the season for a number of poor performances.

"The players on the pitch are letting him down, he needs more protection.

"I know people say 'oh he's £80m' but I don't care - you get someone running at you on a consistent basis and it's a big old pitch Old Trafford, you don't want to be coming out."

Merson went on to criticise those sitting in front of Maguire in midfield. He added: "Harry Maguire, you know I said from day one, I thought it would be a little bit of a struggle playing on the half-way line.

"I thought he's not blessed with a lot of pace but at the end of the day he still has to get protection. I don't care who you are as a centre-half, their holding players don't sit as the sitters, they're all over the place.

"They're having a shot on the edge of the box, over on the left, right, you're a holding midfield player you sit in front and protect the back four.

"I don't care if you're the best centre-half in the world, if you keep getting run at and there's a lot of space in the channels you're going to have a hard time."

In regards to the "day one" comments made this week, Merson criticised Manchester United's decision to spend £80 million on the defender, weeks after Maguire joined the ranks at Old Trafford.

"Maguire for £80 million is ridiculous at the highest level," he stated on Gillette Soccer Saturday back in 2019.

"You have to remember he ripped it up for England in a three. And when you play in a three at the back, you do that for one reason only - the defenders are not good enough and you do not trust them. He done well at England.

"But you have to remember when he plays for Leicester, they play, they drop back and defend on the edge of their box, there is