"He has been made a scapegoat" - Paul Merson not thrilled with Ralf Rangnick's decision to drop Manchester United star 

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has been left disappointed with Ralf Rangick’s treatment of Manchester United captain Harry Maguire. According to the footballer-turned-pundit, the German manager has made the England international a 'scapegoat,' claiming the defender wasn’t the only one at fault for the Liverpool massacre.

In the aftermath of the Red Devils’ 4-0 defeat to Liverpool last Tuesday (19 April), Maguire was left out of the starting XI against Arsenal on Saturday afternoon (23 April). Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof started at the heart of the Manchester United defense at the Emirates, but did not cover themselves in glory. The visitors ultimately succumbed to a 3-1 defeat in north London, leaving their top-four hopes hanging by a thread.

Following the match, Merson criticized Rangnick for dropping Maguire against the Gunners, claiming the Englishman would have wanted to be a part of the action. Speaking to Sky Sports (via Mirror), the former playmaker said:

“Sometimes you want to get out on the pitch and play football. You want to get out there. That’s your solitude, as soon as you cross that white line, you concentrate as a professional footballer. I found that myself, and I think Harry Maguire would rather play football.”

He added:

"We’ve seen it with Cristiano Ronaldo [after the tragic death of his newborn son earlier this week]. Ronaldo would rather play football. It’s a release for that hour and a half, and I think he’ll be gutted, Maguire. He’ll want to play. He’s been made a bit of a scapegoat, if I’m being honest. You could have dropped every single player from the other night against Liverpool. For me, he’ll be disappointed.”

Maguire, 29, has featured in 28 Premier League games for Manchester United this season, helping the club keep six clean sheets. He also has a goal to his name.

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Manchester United centre-back Raphael Varane cuts a frustrating figure in Arsenal loss

Having missed the last three matches with a muscular problem, Raphael Varane was reinstated for the crucial clash against Arsenal. The Frenchman, who was once lauded for his composure and efficiency, was caught out inside the opening three minutes with a Granit Xhaka through ball.

The four-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid failed to clear the Swiss’ delivery inside the box. It allowed Bukayo Saka to intercept and dispatch a shot, which cannoned off the post and fell to Nuno Tavares, who hit home from close range.

Varane’s distribution was also not up to the mark, with the defender misplacing 19.6 percent of his ground passes and five out of his eight long balls.

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