Harry Maguire looks on the bright side amid England woes as he claims that the abuse he receives from opposition fans RELIEVES pressure on his team-mates – after his calamitous own goal against Scotland

• The out-of-favour Man United defender had a night to forget against Scotland
• Gareth Southgate slams ‘ridiculous’ attacks on Maguire by ‘IDIOTS on our side’ 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ 

Harry Maguire says at least the abuse he receives from opposition fans relieves the pressure on his team-mates – and insists he is not suffering mentally.

The England and Manchester United defender was barracked mercilessly by Scotland supporters after coming on at half-time during Tuesday’s friendly in Glasgow, and he duly scored an own goal.

The visitors went on to win 3-1 but Gareth Southgate condemned the ‘ridiculous’ treatment of Maguire afterwards, claiming some of the media criticism is a ‘joke’.

The 30-year-old has addressed being targeted by fans on the back of that, as he said: ‘Well, it pretty much takes the pressure away from my team-mates and puts it all on myself! It makes them play better, for sure.

‘I would not say I am a person who struggles with pressure mentally. I have been through a lot in the last couple of years and I have been Manchester United captain for nearly four years. You take a huge lot of responsibility and everything that comes with it – and that is a lot of bad as well as good.

Harry Maguire swatted away claims that he was struggling mentally with taunts from opposition fans after featuring for England against Scotland

The out-of-favour Man United defender scored a calamitous own goal in the second half

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‘But it was a huge honour (to play for England against Scotland). It was a hostile environment – when you hear the national anthem and the way they disrespect that – and they piled pressure on myself. I would not say I am used to it, but I can deal with it.’

Maguire has played just 23 minutes for United this season and was on the verge of a summer move to West Ham before it collapsed. Why did it not happen?

‘How can I put this? We just didn’t come to an agreement and they were happy for me to stay and I was happy to fight for my place,’ said Maguire, who had wanted to negotiate a compensation package to leave United. ‘I want to do that and every time I train or play I will give everything.

‘I considered everything (in the summer) and I know, at the moment, when I have not started a game in the first four of the season, the story comes to me.

‘I 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.

‘Listen, at club football, I want to play games, I want to play football. The first four weeks were hard because it was one game a week and the manager (Erik Ten Hag) didn’t select me, but we have lots of games coming up now and I am sure I will play lots of games.’

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