Analyzing Harry Maguire's situation at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag: What next for the Red Devils club captain?

Manchester United v Sheriff Tiraspol: Group E - UEFA Europa League

Harry Maguire has become a peripheral figure at Manchester United, and his situation is unlikely to change for the better at Old Trafford.

In his maiden press conference as United boss, Erik ten Hag affirmed his decision to keep the English defender as captain. But the Dutchman hasn't shown the same level of confidence in his skipper on the pitch.

Ten Hag has been ruthless with his team selection and didn't shy away from dropping Maguire as well as Cristiano Ronaldo after humblings in the opening two Premier League outings.

However, such is the squad dynamics at Carrington that Ronaldo, who is determined to leave the club and was punished for his petulant action against Tottenham Hotspur, has found his way back into the starting XI before Maguire.

The Portuguese was even handed the captain's armband in his side's 3-1 loss against Aston Villa. Maguire, meanwhile, remained an unused substitute at Villa Park.

Ten Hag has had to start Ronaldo due to a lack of options going forward but has enough legs at the back to not depend on his captain.

The current situation could be summed up by the fact that in the last two games, the English centre-back has managed more minutes as a striker than in defense.

First-choice pairing

Lisandro Martinez, the only left-footed center-back at the club, was always going to be a starter from the get-go for the fee - upwards of £50m - he was signed for and because of his successful past with the former Ajax head coach.

The Argentine Butcher has already become a fan favorite at Old Trafford, leaving Maguire, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof vying for one spot remaining.

Varane is United's best penalty box defender and showed his class and experience in crucial wins over Liverpool and Arsenal. He has quickly built a rapport with Martinez, conceding just two goals in six 90s together in the league.

The World Cup winner's communication and agility have proven to be immense for the backline, which was crying for an authoritative figure for the whole of the last campaign. David de Gea doesn't command his area and the English centre-back has seldom displayed confidence since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's departure.

Compatibility with Martinez

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League

Most would argue that Maguire lost his starting place after United conceded six goals against Brighton and Brentford, but from the start of the Ten Hag era, he was unlikely to thrive alongside Martinez.

The new gaffer decided very early on that he was going to build his defense around the former Ajax man and shifted Maguire to the right during pre-season.

On the right, the 29-year-old has looked shaky out of possession but more worryingly has experienced a dip in his ball progression numbers.

He is completing fewer passes (52.1-43.8), long balls (4-3), and dribbles (0.1- none) per game this season than last. [Stats via WhoScored]

Martinez is now United's main creative outlet from the deep, and Maguire has looked uncomfortable carrying the ball from the opposite side and struggled to find his teammates effectively from new passing angles.

The issue for the club captain of Manchester United is that he's too similar to Martinez with and without the ball. Both are proactive defenders who like to step out and need a partner to cover for them once they are beaten.

This is why not only Varane but Lindelof - who started over Maguire against both Sociedad and Villa - is ahead in the pecking order. The Swede allows Martinez to be more aggressive and mitigates his deficiencies.

What’s next?

Maguire isn't a better ball-playing CB than Martinez and doesn't ooze the same calmness as Varane. He's too expensive and good to sit on the bench as United's fourth-choice option.

For now, the best thing the Englishman can do is focus on impressing under Gareth Southgate at the World Cup. A campaign similar to Euro 2020 will do him a world of good and attract new suitors.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils should look to cut their loss and use the money to sign a new right-sided center-back who is as good as Martinez on the ball, as physically dominant as Maguire, and as agile as Varane to transform their backline into not only one of the most progressive but meanest in the league. It's easier said than done, though.