Prior to the UEFA Nations League match with Italy, Gareth Southgate held a press conference and was asked about Manchester United defender Harry Maguire after the 29-year-old was dropped from the starting XI at the Red Devils.
Harry Maguire has only played three games this season for the Red Devils who sit fifth in the standings with 4 wins and 2 losses. Despite Harry Maguire’s struggles, Southgate is behind his defender.
"We’re only a few weeks on from pre-season so, physically, if they’ve had a few 90 minutes, that’s fine. Another seven to eight weeks, that does start to become more complicated. But (Maguire) is an important player for us and it’s important to back our best players. Whatever reputation I have, I’m putting it on there. He is our most dominant aerial centre-back. Him and John [Stones] are incredible with the ball. The amount of pressure they have taken for the team in tournaments because we don’t always have that midfield pivot player who can progress the game - it means there is a huge amount more pressure on our centre-backs to use the ball well and those two are as good as any in world football at doing that.”
England’s tune ups before Qatar
While the USMNT fell to Japan 2-0 in a miserable performance, England will be taking on Italy and Germany before their opening game against Iran, who plays Uruguay today. The USMNT will now play Saudi Arabia in their second match before the World Cup, while Wales plays Poland after falling 2-1 to Belgium.
Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, and Mason Mount will be the central figures of the England squad at the 2022 World Cup. Clearly England is playing the best opposition before the start of the tournament compared to the other teams in their group.
