"Outstanding" Man United player must start for England at 2026 World Cup, Red Devils legend warns

Manchester United's "outstanding" defender Harry Maguire should be starting alongside Marc Guehi at the World Cup 2026 tournament for England this summer, Red Devils great Gary Pallister has exclusively told Sports Mole.

Michael Carrick's side did not need the suspended 33-year-old - or Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro or Matthijs de Ligt - to claim a statement 1-0 win over Chelsea at the weekend, but Maguire's contributions this season have not gone unnoticed regardless.

The £80m man struggled with a thigh injury over the winter but has become an integral part of Michael Carrick's defence, starting 10 Premier League games and helping the Red Devils achieve seven victories since the ex-midfielder took charge.

Maguire's revival saw Thomas Tuchel select him for last month's England squad, his first national team call-up since September 2024, having struggled for form, minutes and fitness while Ruben Amorim was in charge of Man Utd.

However, having got his Manchester mojo back, Maguire should be the number one pick alongside Guehi at the World Cup, Pallister believes “You start with Guehi - he had a fantastic tournament last time out, got the big move to Manchester City and he's proven himself there. He's not afraid of the big stage, so he's the shoo-in.

"Outstanding" Harry Maguire must start for England at World Cup 2026

“And then alongside him, whether it's somebody like Konsa, Stones is fit again, but whether he's got enough football under the belt to be really in the talk for England, I don't know.

“But in Harry Maguire you've got a player who's been at the top of his form, he's been terrific for Manchester United all season, and he's got the experience of the big tournament, so for me I would be looking at Harry to partner Guehi. He's been outstanding for Manchester United this year.

“De Ligt's been out all season, Yoro’s having a tough time, Martinez has been hit and miss, you wonder how much that is down to the cruciate ligament injury.

"He's been necessary for Manchester United and I think he's been terrific, so if I'm looking at players who are in form, players with experience, tick so many boxes, I don't think you look further than Harry.”

Maguire started every game for England at the 2022 World Cup and also appeared in all of the Three Lions' seven matches at the 2018 edition, but he missed Euro 2024 as a result of a muscular injury.

Assessing England's centre-back options for World Cup 2026

Maguire's Man Utd career may not have lived up to expectations since his former record move, but very rarely has the 33-year-old put a foot wrong when pulling on the England jersey.

Prior to Guehi's emergence, Maguire would often comprise a three-man defence with Kyle Walker and John Stones, but the former has now retired from international football while the latter is struggling for fitness and minutes at Manchester City.

Stones should still be on the plane to North America if he can prove his fitness, but the 31-year-old is further down the pecking order than the likes of Guehi, Maguire and Ezri Konsa, who should be Maguire's chief competitor if Aston Villa also qualify for the Champions League.

Tuchel also has Fikayo Tomori, Dan Burn, Trevoh Chalobah, Jarell Quansah and maybe even Ben White under consideration for centre-back starts too, but none possesses the major tournament experience of Maguire, who returns from suspension for Man Utd's Premier League clash with Brentford next Monday.