‘Not the answer’ – Dwight Yorke tells Michael Carrick to replace Man Utd star | Football

Dwight Yorke has urged Michael Carrick to replace Harry Maguire, insisting the Manchester United centre-back is ‘immobile and slow’.

United were looking to pick up where they left off last season under Carrick, but were instead outthought and outmuscled on opening day as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Hull City.

Much has been made of United’s moves to bolster their midfield over the summer transfer window, but it was instead set-pieces and defensive errors that cost the Red Devils up against their newly-promoted opponents.

Maguire started alongside Ayden Heaven in the heart of United’s defence, with Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt both still working their way back to full fitness.

But former Red Devils striker Yorke believes Maguire can no longer be trusted as a regular starter and is ‘not the answer’ for Carrick’s side moving forward.

‘Harry Maguire over the years has been a really good servant to the club, but in my opinion, United should look to freshen things up in that area,’ he told Reviant.

‘He’s done incredibly well and deserves credit for that. But if United want to push on and compete with the best players, we all know that as a defender, you cannot be as immobile or as slow as he has become.

‘He was never the most mobile, to begin with, and his experience has been vital. I don’t think that is enough anymore.

‘I think it was a different factor playing against United before, where the team used to dominate the ball so the defenders didn’t have to do as much.

‘But now, when you’re asking defenders to do a great deal to defend one-v-one, I don’t think Harry Maguire is the ideal candidate. That’s just my opinion.’

Yorke continued: ‘I’ve been a head coach now, so I see it from a manager’s point of view. You need people who are capable of defending one-on-one, and for the standards of Harry Maguire, in my opinion, I don’t think he should be at the football club.

‘But that’s where we are, that’s where United are. I’m sure he will play a role in us being good again, but is that where we want to be? We want to be a team that is competing for the Premier League and competing for major trophies.

‘I’m not sure Harry Maguire is the answer for us going forward. And it’s not just him, I have to say. If you look at the changes United have been making, we’re not making changes in that department, apart from the goalkeeper.

‘So when you look at the defensive areas of our team, it’s a similar bunch of players that is going to get us through, and it’s an ageing one, I must say. That’s a little bit concerning for me.’

United are looking to provide Carrick with depth at left-back after Luke Shaw started all 38 league games last season for the first time in his Old Trafford career.

The club have been heavily linked with a move for Lewis Hall but are not expected to pursue a deal before next week’s deadline.

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