![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/football\/football-thumb\/football-thumb.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Harry Maguire laughed off his Hampden Park hounding as a \u201clittle bit of banter\u201d as the under-fire defender said he can cope with pressure from the stands and on his England place.<\/p>\n
Little more than two years ago, the centre-back was an ever-present for Manchester United and earned a place in the Euros team of the tournament after helping Gareth Southgate\u2019s side reach the final.<\/p>\n
But a drop in form and club game time, including being replaced as United captain, has led pressure and criticism to ratchet up on Maguire to a point that his international manager snapped following Tuesday\u2019s 3-1 friendly win against Scotland.<\/p>\n
Furious Southgate said the treatment of Maguire is \u201cridiculous\u201d, \u201ca joke\u201d and \u201cbeyond anything I\u2019ve ever seen\u201d \u2013 a narrative that he believes led to home fans goading him mercilessly in Glasgow.<\/p>\n
Every pass Maguire made was met by an ironic cheer after being brought on as a half-time substitute at Hampden Park.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2022\/11\/30\/15\/GettyImages-1388382959%20copy.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2022\/12\/01\/03\/GettyImages-1245251240.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, it pretty much takes the pressure away from my team-mates and puts it all on myself,\u201d Maguire said. \u201cIt makes them play better, for sure.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a little bit of banter and it is a hostile environment, coming away to Scotland.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to put on a performance and we have dominated from start to finish. We have given them a goal, which is a bit unfortunate you could say.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, yes, it was a great reaction from us all. We stayed calm, we stayed composed. I think it was a hostile environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew coming here, when you hear the national anthem and the way they disrespect that, we knew it would be hostile and in the second half I got most of it.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Prime.svg\")
<\/p>\n
Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial<\/p>\n
\u201cI am happy to go with that, don\u2019t worry about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maguire was touched by the away support\u2019s backing in Glasgow as Scottish fans attempted to rattle him.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I would not say I am a person who struggles with pressure mentally,\u201d Maguire said.\u00a0\u201cI have been through a lot in the last couple of years and I have been Manchester United captain for nearly four years.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou take a huge lot of responsibility and everything that comes with it and that is a lot of bad as well as good.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it was a huge honour and of course it is a hostile environment here, which is how I described it, and they piled pressure on myself. I would not say I am used to it but I can deal with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maguire is grateful for the backing of Southgate, whose faith he believes he repaid with his performances in Scotland and away to Ukraine when he made his first start of the season on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old brushed aside suggestions he was rusty but wants the rhythm back of playing week in, week out, saying he is confident that \u201cthe luck will turn\u201d if he keeps working hard.<\/p>\n
Maguire now turns his attention to the fight for his place at United, where a lack of minutes could put his place at Euro 2024 in jeopardy \u2013 something he says is \u201ctoo far away\u201d to worry about.<\/p>\n
West Ham did offer him a route to regular action in the summer but the defender said \u201cwe didn\u2019t come to an agreement\u201d and United were happy for him to stay.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, my England career is a big priority,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd so is my club career.<\/p>\n
\u201cI considered everything and I know, at the moment, when I have not started a game in the first four games of the season, the story comes to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI finished off last season with two very strong performances for England and I have played in all five matches to help put us where we are in qualifying, so I need to keep performing when I get chosen.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/22\/1b23e6f2c98da43399ebdec1304eb290Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0NzI2NjUy-2.73713559.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/22\/13172808-aefbf584-ff29-4e37-8998-21bc08f964ba.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/21\/03f311dd4f9f64bc3741c2a26a6460faY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0NzIzMzgw-2.73711655.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cListen, at club football, I want to play games, I want to play football.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first four weeks were hard because it was one game a week and the manager didn\u2019t select me but we have lots of games coming up now and I am sure I will play lots of games.\u201d<\/p>\n