‘He knows Harry has had a tough time on and off the pitch, a pat on the back would have helped him’: Roy Keane criticises Gareth Southgate for not consoling Maguire after his red card
- Harry Maguire was sent off after receiving two yellow cards against Denmark
- The England centre back was clearly devastated as he walked down the tunnel
- Roy Keane believes Gareth Southgate could have given him a ‘pat on the back’
- Keane added Maguire will find it tough returning to a Man Utd side struggling
- REPORT: Harry Maguire sent off as England lose 1-0 to Denmark on Wednesday
Roy Keane believes England boss Gareth Southgate missed a trick by not consoling Harry Maguire as he trudged off the pitch following his sending off against Denmark.
The Manchester United captain, who has endured a tough few months on and off the pitch, was given his marching orders for two yellow cards in the opening 31 minutes on Wednesday night.
England went on to lose 1-0 at Wembley and former United captain Keane says Southgate could have shown a softer side as a devastated Maguire walked past him down the tunnel.
Roy Keane believes Gareth Southgate could have consoled Harry Maguire after his red card
The England centre back trudged down the tunnel without a word from the England manager
“I have loads of sympathy for Maguire.”
“I think a pat on the back there would have certainly helped him considering he knows how low the player is at the moment.”
Roy Keane discusses Harry Maguire’s sending off against Denmark #ITVFootball pic.twitter.com/WDsy1IdHlz
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 14, 2020
When questioned about Southgate not consoling Maguire, Keane told ITV: ‘I think sometimes he [Gareth] knows Harry has had a tough time on and off the pitch, a pat on the back would have helped him.
‘That would have settled him from Gareth.’
Keane also said that returning to an under-performing United side, following two defeats out of their first three Premier League games, won’t help Maguire’s form either.
‘The only down side is for Maguire, he’s going back to a team not full of confidence,’ Keane added.
‘I’ve been in situations before when I was in a situation with brilliant characters, I felt the dressing room was the best in the world. He’s not going to get that, in that back four.
Maguire returns to a Man Utd dressing room low on confidence after their start to the season
‘I wouldn’t be anywhere near those lads – I don’t see them as leaders.’
After the game, Southgate leaped to Maguire’s defence after his red card capped a miserable period since being hit with a trio of guilty verdicts for his involvement in an incident whilst on holiday in Mykonos.
Asked whether he felt the Manchester United defender needed a break away from the game, Southgate said: ‘Knowing Harry as I do, he’ll want to play football.
‘The best place for him to be is on the pitch. We know he’s happy for everybody to have an opinion on what he should be doing. That’s life as a top player. If nobody’s interested in you life’s very straightforward.
Maguire was sent off after just 31 minutes against Denmark following two yellow cards
The Manchester Unite defender received a second yellow card for a lunge after losing the ball
‘If you’re captain of United and a top player for England everybody has an opinion. You have to ride with that. He’s strong enough to deal with it. He’s got to show the resilience I know he has to come through that.
‘He is having a period where he is getting a lot of sticks thrown his way but he is big enough to deal with that he will come through it, he will be stronger for it.
‘He’s got our support and I’m sure his club will do the same. He is getting all sorts at the moment, from people who should know better. None of us like to be in the centre of that storm.’
