"Outstanding" Man United player must start for England at 2026 World Cup, Red Devils legend warns

Manchester United's "outstanding" defender Harry Maguire should beryllium starting alongside Marc Guehi astatine the World Cup 2026 tourney for England this summer, Red Devils large Gary Pallister has exclusively told Sports Mole.

Michael Carrick's broadside did not request the suspended 33-year-old - oregon Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro oregon Matthijs de Ligt - to assertion a connection 1-0 triumph implicit Chelsea astatine the weekend, but Maguire's contributions this play person not gone unnoticed regardless.

The £80m antheral struggled with a thigh wounded implicit the wintertime but has go an integral portion of Michael Carrick's defence, starting 10 Premier League games and helping the Red Devils execute 7 victories since the ex-midfielder took charge.

Maguire's revival saw Thomas Tuchel prime him for past month's England squad, his archetypal nationalist squad call-up since September 2024, having struggled for form, minutes and fittingness portion Ruben Amorim was successful complaint of Man Utd.

However, having got his Manchester mojo back, Maguire should beryllium the fig 1 prime alongside Guehi astatine the World Cup, Pallister believes “You commencement with Guehi - helium had a fantastic tourney past clip out, got the large determination to Manchester City and he's proven himself there. He's not acrophobic of the large stage, truthful he's the shoo-in.

"Outstanding" Harry Maguire indispensable commencement for England astatine World Cup 2026

“And past alongside him, whether it's idiosyncratic similar Konsa, Stones is acceptable again, but whether he's got capable shot nether the loop to beryllium truly successful the speech for England, I don't know. 

“But successful Harry Maguire you've got a subordinate who's been astatine the apical of his form, he's been terrific for Manchester United each season, and he's got the acquisition of the large tournament, truthful for maine I would beryllium looking astatine Harry to spouse Guehi. He's been outstanding for Manchester United this year.

“De Ligt's been retired each season, Yoro’s having a pugnacious time, Martinez has been deed and miss, you wonderment however overmuch that is down to the cruciate ligament injury.

"He's been indispensable for Manchester United and I deliberation he's been terrific, truthful if I'm looking astatine players who are successful form, players with experience, tick truthful galore boxes, I don't deliberation you look further than Harry.”

Maguire started each crippled for England astatine the 2022 World Cup and besides appeared successful each of the Three Lions' 7 matches astatine the 2018 edition, but helium missed Euro 2024 arsenic a effect of a muscular injury.

Assessing England's centre-back options for World Cup 2026

Maguire's Man Utd vocation whitethorn not person lived up to expectations since his erstwhile grounds move, but precise seldom has the 33-year-old enactment a ft incorrect erstwhile pulling connected the England jersey.

Prior to Guehi's emergence, Maguire would often comprise a three-man defence with Kyle Walker and John Stones, but the erstwhile has present retired from planetary shot portion the second is struggling for fittingness and minutes astatine Manchester City.

Stones should inactive beryllium connected the level to North America if helium tin beryllium his fitness, but the 31-year-old is further down the pecking bid than the likes of Guehi, Maguire and Ezri Konsa, who should beryllium Maguire's main rival if Aston Villa besides suffice for the Champions League.

Tuchel besides has Fikayo Tomori, Dan Burn, Trevoh Chalobah, Jarell Quansah and possibly adjacent Ben White nether information for centre-back starts too, but nary possesses the large tourney acquisition of Maguire, who returns from suspension for Man Utd's Premier League clash with Brentford adjacent Monday.