Nottingham Forest v Chelsea – Premier LeagueThe abuse Harry Maguire faced was ‘above and beyond’, says Peter Crouch
Ex-England striker Peter Crouch has showered Harry Maguire with praise and condemned the ‘unacceptable’ abuse directed at the Manchester United defender down the years.United came away from Anfield with their first win at the stadium in nine years last weekend – and Maguire was the hero, rising the highest to thud a towering header beyond Giorgi Mamardashvili in the Liverpool goal.The England international has made a habit of scoring dramatic late goals for the Red Devils, with five of his last six efforts coming in the 84th minute or later.
However, Maguire has copped his fair share of criticism when his performances have dipped below expectations and the decision was made to strip the centre-back of the captain’s armband in July 2023.Maguire came close to leaving United later that summer, only to reject a proposed move to West Ham in order to fight for his future at Old Trafford.Get personalised updates on Manchester United every dayWake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football
Newsletter.Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you.But even when Maguire became a figure of fun among some sections of the fanbase, the 32-year-old refused to let the negativity get the better of him – and he appears to have come out the other side stronger.
The former Leicester City man will be expected to keep hold of his place in Ruben Amorim’s starting XI when United return to Premier League action at home to Brighton on Saturday.Liverpool v Manchester United – Premier LeagueMaguire scored a stunning 84th-minute winner at Anfield.
Liverpool v Manchester United – Premier LeagueThe England defender was on the verge of leaving United in 2023 ‘I’m just really, really pleased for him,’ Crouch said of Maguire on That Peter Crouch Podcast.‘Throughout my career, there have been points where I’ve been low and I’ve had a lot of grief, a lot of stick, so I kind of know what that’s like.
