Martin O’Neill on why Maguire continues to be picked, issues scathing Martial assessment and sticks up for Rice

In the fourth part of a Ladbrokes exclusive, former Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill discussed Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson being included in the England squad, plus he had a bit more to say about Declan Rice.

The Northern Irishman talked about the Arsenal midfielder in part one, Stephen Kenny and Roy Keane in part two, and the Scottish title race and his managerial memories in the third part.

Maguire will feel he’s as good as any of United’s defenders; Martial’s demeanour would irritate a manager

It seems as if Harry Maguire was told at the beginning of the season that he wasn’t going to be in the manager’s plans. Obviously he lost the captaincy,and he was up for sale in the summer, so he’s then left with a choice to make: leave Manchester United or fight for his place.

I think he’s looked at that defensive line and he’s seen that the club weren’t looking to improve in that area, so he’s probably looking and thinking he’s got a chance of getting back into the manager’s starting line-up. Raphael Varane doesn’t play enough. He’s been a really fine player, but he just doesn’t play the games. And if I were a centre-back at the club right now, I think I’d be biding my time there, as well.

Jonny Evans has come back after all this time, and he ends up on the pitch with Maguire at the end of the Arsenal game. That’s not a partnership any United fans will have expected to have seen this season, but football’s a strange old game.

Harry Maguire will feel he’s as good as any of those defenders in that side. He was partnered with Victor Lindelof until he lost his place, but overall, I’m sure he feels he’s got a chance of getting back into the team.

It might not be what Ten Hag had planned, but you’re looking at the squad at the moment, and you’re looking at the style of play…and you just don’t feel as though, first and foremost, they’re going to score bags of goals. For all of the talented players they’ve got going forward, you’re not confident in them at the moment. Anthony Martial’s demeanor would probably irritate you, if you’re a manager – he just seems to mope and moan. He doesn’t do enough. He complains when he’s coming off – but you just think ‘you’re playing for Manchester United; you’ve got to be doing more!’ We’re not talking about an ordinary Premier League side here. It’s Manchester United. You’ve got to be better.

Here’s why Henderson and Maguire are still in Southgate’s plans

The way that Gareth Southgate will be looking at the Harry Maguire situation is like this: In an England shirt, the player has actually done really well for him. That’s the point. It’s not as if the manager is blessed with a phenomenal choice in that position. Harry Maguire has, over a number of tournaments, done very well for England, and Gareth Southgate will be making his decision based on exactly that. It’s not as if players are coming up through the ranks who are miles better, and should automatically be ahead of Maguire.

It does seem strange that someone who cannot get into a club side, should be first-choice for their country. But it’s not the first time this has happened, and Gareth Southgate has always had faith in Maguire. And, to his credit, Maguire has repaid that faith. England’s record in major competitions with Maguire in defence is very impressive; a World Cup semi-final, and Euros final and a World Cup quarter-final… and Maguire has played a huge part in all of those. The only thing that Southgate might be concerned about, I suppose, is match fitness. But you’re talking about a Premier League player here, who is surely keeping himself in a reasonable condition, and therefore the manager will take that chance.

As for Jordan Henderson and his selection, that’s a strange one. The manager has obviously picked him for these next two games. Gareth did an interview after Henderson went over to Saudi Arabia, where he said it’s something he’d have to look at, but that if Henderson was playing, and was reasonably fit, then there was no reason why he wouldn’t be included in his squad. Now, that’s OK at this moment in time, because Henderson hasn’t been out there for long. We’re not talking about a player who’s been in Saudi Arabia for two or three years, so from that viewpoint, I can understand why he’s in the squad. But he’s playing in a league which isn’t near the standards of the Premier League, which you’d have to say is very much the case right now. You know, for all the money their teams have spent on bringing in some really terrific players, it’s still nowhere near the standard of Premier League football. If that continues to be the case, that’s where Jordan Henderson, and his England future, will suffer, I would think.

I don’t agree Rice needs to add goals to his game

I’m quite sure Declan Rice will go on to become Arsenal’s captain one day. Listen, don’t for one minute think that I saw all of this in that 18-year-old boy who played in my Republic of Ireland side. He definitely had the potential. Was he good enough to go straight into that Ireland team? Of course he was. I don’t pretend to know Declan Rice all that well, but there are a number of things about him which make me think he’s going to go on to have an incredible career.

Number one: his time at West Ham United. He forced his way into that side and, not only that, but he became a major part of it. That’s down to him, of course, but also to the manager, as well. Declan will have picked up and learned a lot of things from David Moyes, who put an awful lot of faith in him, and Declan, in turn, repaid that faith. And now he’s moved on, for over £100m, as predominantly a defensive-midfield player.

What’s helped him this summer is that there have been a number of players who have gone for similar transfer fees, particularly in that position, which takes a little bit of pressure off him. It’s a little bit like the great Trevor Francis, in my opinion. Trevor was the first million pound player in this country, and while he said at the time that he didn’t give that price tag much thought, I’m sure deep down it did…until a couple of other players went for similar fees, very quickly after him. And then Trevor realised just how good he was, and it never really bothered him. So I think that a couple of players being sold this summer for similar fees will only help Declan, because it’s taken a lot of pressure off of him.

If he stays clear of serious injuries, he’ll be a huge asset to Arsenal in the next few years, because he’s got the wherewithal; he’s got the ability on the ball, he can run forever, and while people keep talking about him needing to add goals to his game, I’m not necessarily in agreement with that, because there have been some fabulous midfield players who have been major influences in some of the greatest teams in world football, like Xavi at Barcelona, who you wouldn’t think of as a prolific goalscorer, yet he was one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. If you’re the guy who has been brought in to make those killer passes, then naturally you’re not going to be on the end of them.