Harry Maguire's defending came under fresh scrutiny after the Manchester United centre-back was pictured wrestling with his own team-mate moments before Hull City's opening goal at the weekend.
Maguire had his arm around full-back Noussair Mazraoui just before Semi Ajayi bundled the ball into the net. The ball had bounced off the post into the danger area, and had the two team-mates not been tangled up, either Maguire or Mazraoui could have reacted and challenged for it.
Maguire, a former England international who featured at the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020, joined United from Leicester City in 2019 in a deal reported at the time to be a world-record fee for a defender, worth around £80 million.
The confusion appeared to reflect wider problems at the back for United. Full-back Luke Shaw, who has played for the club since 2014, said after the match that United had not prepared well enough for Hull's set-pieces under manager Michael Carrick, a former United and England midfielder.
"Disappointing, I think we knew Hull's strengths," Shaw said. "Set-plays and wide positions and crosses into the box. At times we did defend well, but the goals, set-plays, not good enough. We knew they were going to be good from set-plays and ultimately it's cost us the three points today."
Shaw's set-piece warning
Shaw went further, saying the team had known Hull's threat from dead-ball situations was coming and had failed to plan for it collectively.
"Really disappointing. It's not us and we knew it was coming," he said. "I think as a whole, as a group, collectively, we could prepare better. Especially knowing how good they are at set-plays and what their dangers are. I think also going forward we were lacking that cutting edge today to score the goals and try to fight our way back into the game."
Hull's second goal
United conceded again from a set-piece before half-time when Nobel Mendy scored his first Premier League goal, doubling Hull's lead in the 38th minute.
Fans react on social media
The moment between Maguire and Mazraoui prompted a wave of reaction on social media. "Maguire has done it again," wrote one fan on X. Another wrote: "Maguire please don't bring back the old version of yourself," while a third joked: "He thought it was still pre-season training."
Others defended the defender. "No Maguire slander would be tolerated. Man was our second best player today after Mbeumo," one supporter wrote. Another shifted blame away from Maguire individually, writing: "All of them are standing like b***** statues and that's what p***** me off. Nobody charged. Nobody. Pathetic when it comes to passion."
A history of mishaps
This is not the first time Maguire has been involved in an incident affecting a team-mate. In 2020, he accidentally fouled Shaw during a match against Tottenham Hotspur, which led to a goal for the opposition. He also once kicked Paul Pogba in the head, an incident that forced Pogba off the pitch bleeding, and on another occasion appealed for a handball against his own team-mate Nemanja Matic inside the box.
Maguire's United career
Maguire, 33, who missed out on selection for the World Cup, began his career playing for Hull City between 2014 and 2017, long before facing his old club from the opposite side.
In April, he signed a fresh one-year contract with United, who also hold the option to extend the deal by a further year.
His wages have dropped from around £180,000 a week to £120,000 in line with the club's new salary structure.
