Ex-Man Utd star Rio Ferdinand insists 28-year-old needs a break.

Maguire was shown a red card in Solskjaer’s last game as Man United manager, with his dismissal contributing to 4-1 Claudio Ranieri’s Hornets.

Rio Ferdinand insists Maguire should be taken out of the starting XI [Getty]

Former England and Manchester captain Rio Ferdinand insists that Michael Carrick should keep captain Harry Maguire “out of the firing line.”

The Three Lions defender has come under immense scrutiny following his below par performances in recent months, though, there are many, who believe it is because he was rushed back from injury.

Maguire was given his marching orders in United’s 4-1 loss to Watford on Saturday, in what was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s final game as boss.

However, Ferdinand believes it’s time for interim coach Carrick to protect the 28-year-old, who is failing to prove his critics wrong.

“Harry wouldn’t like to hear this but I just think sometimes you need to be taken out of the firing line,” Ferdinand told his FIVE YouTube channel.

“He’s had a long summer, a successful summer with England to a certain degree. He’s played a lot of football, comes back to United and physically and mentally it looks like there’s a hangover there. “He won’t take himself out of it, I wouldn’t either, I’d try and play myself through it, but at the moment his performances haven’t been up to the level required, for him, for Man United. The bar he set himself wouldn’t be there. “I saw Gary Neville speak about it the other day that he was having a nightmare after three or four summers on the bounce playing football for England and Man United and needed time off. “I think Harry Maguire is probably at that point right now.”

Carrick will take charge of his first match as caretaker Manchester United manager on Tuesday night as the Red Devils look to book their place in the Champions League last-16 if they beat Villarreal in Spain.

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