Harry Maguire sends clear message on who is to blame for Manchester United slump

Manchester United go to Aston Villa on Sunday after four games without a win, with manager Erik ten Hag under immense pressure ahead of the international break.

Harry Maguire believes Manchester United’s players should accept responsibility for their dismal start to the season and relieve Erik ten Hag of the strain.

Ten Hag’s career is on the line following United’s terrible start to the season, in which they have won only three of their first nine games in all competitions. United have not won in their previous four games and required a 91st-minute equalizer from Maguire to draw 3-3 in Porto on Thursday after leading 2-0.

Ten Hag’s team also endured devastating back-to-back 3-0 Premier League defeats at home to Liverpool and Tottenham, bringing him closer to the sack. Against this context, Ten Hag understands that he cannot afford to lose against Aston Villa on Sunday if he wants to maintain his position following the international break.

However, Maguire stated that United’s players cannot hide behind their boss and must dig themselves out of problems, beginning with Villa. “Obviously it’s not good enough,” Maguire stated. “We definitely need to do more. As a footballer, it’s tempting to look about and blame others, including your teammates, the coaching staff, and the tactics.However, you must seek within yourself. We’re the ones who step onto the pitch. We are the ones who have to defend. You must accept responsibility, and everyone of us must strive to do better in these circumstances.

“When we’re under pressure, I feel that as a team, over the last couple of years, maybe the last year or so, we’ve always conceded in games, which can’t happen. We must be able to sustain such pressure, have stronger internal principles, and increase the speed significantly when defending our box.

“I understand that when you’re going through a terrible time, everyone piles on you. During difficult circumstances, you must persevere and keep together as a group. The 11 bodies go out there and play football; you must keep together as a team, as a squad, and have that belief.We’ve shown to the management over the previous few seasons that we can defeat anyone when we perform. But the difficulty has been consistency, and we need to start demonstrating it.

“When you play for or manage this team and have a poor run of results, pressure builds. Everyone speaks; everyone speaks. The manager has more than adequate experience. That is what comes with the job. So, yeah, we are battling together.

Last season, United triumphed 2-1 at Villa Park, and Maguire, who will start ahead of Matthijs De Ligt on Sunday, believes the team would be inspired by that success. “We’ve got to find belief within ourselves and take the belief from what we did last season at Villa Park,” Maguire told the BBC.”There was a fire last season. Then we went there and secured the victory we needed last season. We believe we’re playing better than previous season, but the results haven’t been there.

“Obviously, the performance against Spurs was quite awful. Apart from that, I believe we should have more points on the scoreboard. But they aren’t there, therefore we need to take action, beginning on Sunday. It’s a tough game, but what a fantastic setting to play and attempt to score three points.”