Fight for your place, Ten Hag warns Maguire

HARRY MAGUIRE has been told he can fight for his Manchester United place — or leave the club.

Erik ten Hag is prepared to give the England defender, 29, the chance to battle his way back into favour at Old Trafford.

But the Red Devils boss says it will be the England centre-back who chooses where his future lies, as he faces up to returning from starting at the World Cup to sitting on United’s bench.

Asked if Maguire could go, Ten Hag said: “Only when he doesn’t want to be in these circumstances any more.

“Until that moment, I am happy with him.”

Ten Hag dumped Maguire after back-to-back defeats against Brighton and Brentford in United’s first two games of the season.

The Dutchman says his £85million man — the most expensive defender on the planet — “performed badly” and lost confidence.

Not for the first time, Maguire looked like a different animal wearing the white of his country as opposed to the red of his club as he started all five games for the Three Lions.

But that cuts no ice with the Dutchman who stressed: “I can only battle this after being asked many times if he is good enough.

“It is clear he is good enough to play at the highest level. Then it is up to him to show that confidence on the pitch and he didn’t show that in all the games.

“We want him to bring that back to Manchester with him so he can bring it on the pitch for United. When he is playing with his confidence like now he is a massively important player for us and that is what everyone expects.

“That’s what Harry expects from himself. He has that high standard, he wants to play at the highest level, he wants to lead the defensive line, so it is up to him.

“I’m sure he has the potential to play in our style and fit into our system. He had a period in Manchester where he performed badly and then, of course, there are difficulties but when he is confident in himself, he will put that on the pitch.

“When he is working hard you will get that confidence and you are seeing that with the way he was playing for England.

“I expect from him, the team knows what they expect from him.

“If he does that he will be a great player for us.”