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Aaron Ramsdale praised Harry Maguire for his continued \u201coutstanding\u201d England displays as the under-fire defender blocks out unrelenting criticism and scrutiny.<\/p>\n
The world\u2019s most expensive defender was named in the Euros team of the tournament in 2021, but game time and form at Manchester United have dropped off since then.<\/p>\n
Gareth Southgate has stuck by Maguire and brought him on at half-time in Tuesday\u2019s 3-1 friendly win over Scotland, during which he was mocked mercilessly by the Hampden Park crowd before scoring an own goal.<\/p>\n
Furious Southgate believes the reaction was as a result of wider \u201cridiculous\u201d criticism of the defender, which he called \u201ca joke\u201d and said was \u201cbeyond anything I\u2019ve ever seen\u201d.<\/p>\n
England fans backed Maguire and chanted his name in Glasgow, with team-mates like goalkeeper Ramsdale also offering support to the oft-criticised centre-back.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHarry Maguire has had criticism for the past 18 months, two years,\u201d he said. \u201cIt hasn\u2019t affected him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis performances for England have been nigh on outstanding, that\u2019s why he keeps getting picked and played. Simple as that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think a few whistles and groans from the fans are going to change his mindset.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had 45 minutes in a game where I thought he played well, kept the ball for us and one unfortunate own goal, if you want to call it that, and people are going to start talking about him and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
His performances for England have been nigh on outstanding, that’s why he keeps getting picked and played. Simple as that<\/p>\n
Ramsdale said Maguire was \u201csuperb when he came on\u201d and had no issues with his \u201creally unfortunate\u201d own goal.<\/p>\n
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\u201cPeople will say he\u2019s come on and scored an own goal, but if he has any doubt in his mind, I want my defender to try to clear it,\u201d the Arsenal goalkeeper said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a cross-shot, he\u2019s tried to deal with it and eight times out of 10 it goes behind for a corner or he clears it.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time he touched the ball the crowd got up and made noises and he dealt with it extremely well, played some lovely passes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he accompanied Lewis (Dunk) and rest of the back four really well. Yeah, I\u2019d want him to do that again 10 times over.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ramsdale won just his fourth England cap on Tuesday evening and was grateful for Maguire then, just as he has been since making his debut behind him in November 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe talks you through the game,\u201d he said. \u201cI remember that from my first cap.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was San Marino and obviously we won 10-0, but he talked me through the whole game, calmed me down at times and he did the same (against Scotland).<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, it\u2019s a real dream to play with him and, as I said, it\u2019s just an unfortunate goal that people are going to highlight and it doesn\u2019t need to be that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Ramsdale knows that everything is pored over in minute detail with England, whether it is Maguire\u2019s selection, Phil Foden\u2019s role or Southgate\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n
The team may also be under the microscope, but Ramsdale says that has helped to cultivate a special mentality within the group.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re playing for England,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s the most scrutinised team in the world, I personally think.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got so many good players, a pool of players, and everyone will have a different opinion on who should be playing and who shouldn\u2019t be playing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s what makes us so strong as a group, the fact that we can brush things off and use the noise as outside noise and listen to ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Put to Ramsdale that is easier said than done, he said: \u201cExactly, but two years ago we were playing in a European final and then we went to the World Cup and could have done a bit better in different circumstances and played against a good team in France.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re so close to qualifying again and this group has been together so long and we\u2019ve got such a great connection.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike you said, it\u2019s easier said than done, but it\u2019s one of the top qualities this group has, that it sticks together and block out any noise that we don\u2019t want to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n