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Harry Maguire stands up for Luke Shaw after Roy Keane’s harsh criticism

Originally posted on HITC | By Vatsal Gupta | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 9:33 AM ET

Luke Shaw came under fire from Roy Keane after the Manchester derby, but Harry Maguire has now spoken up in defence of his teammate.

Shaw had a tough afternoon at Old Trafford, being involved in all three goals conceded. The performance drew sharp criticism from fans and pundits alike.

Keane didn’t hold back, questioning how Shaw has survived so many squad overhauls. His comments were direct and clearly hit a nerve with some supporters.

Maguire isn’t one to back away from defending his teammates and spoke openly about the situation:

Maguire said: “Yeah. It’s not nice for anyone to see but listen you know what football is like nowadays it’s expected. The higher level you are the more people want to bring you down as well.”

Harry Maguire steps up in defense of Luke Shaw

Harry Maguire has always been known as one of the more supportive figures in the Manchester United dressing room, often backing his teammates when they need it most.

It’s a big part of why he’s earned the trust of so many managers over the years, and more recently, Ruben Amorim took notice after an incident ahead of the Chelsea match.

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Now, Shaw is among those who have benefited from Maguire’s support after he spoke out against some of the criticism aimed at the left-back.

Speaking to Man Utd’s official website, Maguire said: “You don’t play at this club 250 or 300 times if you’re first and foremost not a good player. Luke’s an excellent footballer, and every manager that comes in, he gets questioned a lot. That’s what happens at this club.”

“Every manager that comes in plays Luke, and there’s a reason why they play Luke because he’s an excellent footballer, always has been and always will be.”

Signs of Amorim’s influence are starting to appear

Ruben Amorim usually steers clear of getting into it with pundits over their takes, but he’d no doubt be pleased to hear Maguire’s comments.

The Man Utd manager has been working hard to build a squad that pulls in the same direction, stripping away any personal agendas.

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That kind of unity is what can really set a team apart, and Maguire backing Shaw fits right into that narrative.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s best teams often thrived on that siege mentality—an “us against the world” approach, no matter who they were up against. This time, it’s Roy Keane playing the role of critic, and Maguire using that as fuel to back his teammate. The specifics don’t matter; what matters is the spirit behind it, which is exactly what Amorim wants to see.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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