Maguire’s bond at the back is key

Friendship with Stones revived him

PARTNERSHIPS are more important in the middle of defence than anywhere else on the football pitch. Gareth Southgate knows that better than anyone from his own career and I’m sure that’s why he was so convinced Harry Maguire would get back to his best once he again teamed up with John Stones.

As a pairing, they just work — on and off the pitch. They know each other’s games insideout and it helps they are good friends as well, having come through the ranks together in junior football in south Yorkshire.

From a practical point of view, it helps when you’re instinctively aware of a team-mate’s strengths and weaknesses. I had a great relationship with Steven Gerrard. I knew he’d always cross first touch so I could make my runs into the box early. For defenders, Stones and Maguire will complement each other, they’ll understand who will commit, who will go for the headers. Their friendship is also an advantage because when you’ve gone through what Maguire has, it’s great to go on the pitch feeling comfortable. If he makes a mistake, he knows Stones will have his back rather than someone he doesn’t know well. I remember the tirades Paul Ince used to give me before I’d settled in the Liverpool team. I didn’t know Paul well then and while I was the type who would try to respond to a kick up the backside, I can see why it would make players more apprehensive than getting a rollicking off someone you’ve known for years and have shared success with.

Maguire is strong mentally but it’ll help his confidence to have a friend alongside him. It creates a more comfortable environment. There are examples of team-mates who didn’t get along and still played well together, but in general a group of players who know and like each other will beat a group that’s thrown together.

Southgate deserves credit for assessing the situation and sticking with Maguire because a lot of people wouldn’t have done. Though tougher tests lie ahead, there’s no doubt the Manchester United defender has been one of the successes of the

World Cup.

Gareth’s experience as a centre-half, understanding the dynamics and importance of a partnership, will have helped.

BEST BUDDIES: Maguire and Stones

I chatted to Rio Ferdinand and he said he always felt comfortable coming back into the team after injury if Nemanja Vidic was alongside him because it was a tried and trusted partnership. Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz always played better together at Liverpool, as did Brede Hangeland and Aaron Hughes at Fulham.

It’s also helped Maguire that this World Cup is being played a long way from home with a relatively small contingent of England fans. Those supporters have responded well to his performances but he’d have been under more scrutiny with 50,000 England fans watching his every move.

Another benefit is having Declan Rice ahead of the defence. It’s something Maguire lacked at United for a long time but the arrival of Casemiro augurs well for him. United’s centre-halves will be less exposed with the Brazilian there and in good form. Maguire and Stones will be important for England against Senegal today. My preference would be for Kyle Walker to play right-back. You need your strongest line-up at this stage of the World Cup and it’ll be another opportunity for Walker before what we hope is next weekend’s quarter-final, which could be against Kylian Mbappe and France.