Paul Merson sympathises with Manchester United captain Harry Maguire but feels he is a key ingredient to a ‘bad recipe’ in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s defence.
Solskjaer has a huge decision to make over his skipper for this evening’s fixture against Newcastle amid widespread calls for the 27-year-old to be dropped from the Norwegian’s starting XI.
Maguire has made several reprehensible errors in United’s opening three league games of the season, in which the Reds conceded have conceded 11 goals.
And his misery was compounded with a red card on international duty in England’s Nations League defeat to Denmark at Wembley in midweek.
It would be beneficial for Maguire to be taken out of the firing line at St James’ Park but he is not the only culprit in United’s defence.
Merson believes a lack of communication in United’s back four is what is causing so many problems at the back.
The lack of organisation is particularly worrying for a defence that already lacks pace and authority.
As Merson notes, Maguire is not the only one at fault but he will be the most maligned due to his price tag and captain status.
Whichever central defensive pairing Solskjaer chooses against Newcastle will undoubtedly have a huge outcome on the result of the match.
Listen to Merson’s thoughts on United defence below, footage courtesy of Sky Sports:
🗣" They are not blessed with pace at the back and it's just a bad recipe, I feel sorry for Maguire because we're highlighting him as he's the most expensive centre half in the world"
Paul Merson discusses Manchester United's defense pic.twitter.com/VQTZivSuOa
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 17, 2020
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That’s true l’m fully in support of what you said sir. So why can’t Ole play Marcos Rojo tonight and see the difference, just pair him with Eric and watch the two lions feed cause they’re starving and to be frank, the e defence will be strong and solid. I can’t see the reason why he won’t play Rojo since his not in the champions league squad