Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has urged his teammates to take responsibility for the team’s recent struggles, amid increasing pressure on manager Erik ten Hag.
United are currently languishing in 14th place in the Premier League, with just two wins from their opening six matches. They travel to face Aston Villa on Sunday, with club co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe stating that a decision on Ten Hag’s future is “not my call.”
“This is my sixth season now, and I know what it’s about,” said Maguire. “You go through difficult moments, and everyone piles on you. We’ve proven over the last couple of seasons with the manager that we can beat anybody when we perform. But the problem has been consistency, and we need to start showing that.”
United head into the Villa clash following a 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham and a 3-3 draw with Porto in the Europa League, where Maguire scored a late equalizer. They have conceded three or more goals in 24 matches under Ten Hag, further fueling concerns about the team’s defensive frailties.
Maguire, 31, acknowledged the team’s shortcomings: “No, obviously it’s not good enough. For sure, we’ve got to do more. But as a footballer, it’s easy to look around and blame your teammates, or blame the staff or the tactics. You’ve got to look at yourself. You’ve got to take responsibility, and each and every one of us has got to do better in these moments.”
As the pressure intensifies on Ten Hag, the United squad will need to respond quickly to avoid slipping further down the Premier League table.
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