What Roy Keane said about Harry Maguire's 'embarrassing' celebration for England amid Manchester United form

ROY KEANE: Criticised Harry Maguire's celebration. Picture: Getty Images.

Maguire cupped his hands behind his ears as he slid on his knees to help send the Three Lions on their way to a comfortable win which left England needing just one point to secure passage to next year's World Cup.

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Many people, including Keane, felt that the celebration was a response to Manchester United’s poor form this season with the Red Devils sitting sixth in the Premier League table.

OPENER: Harry Maguire celebrates his goal. Picture: Getty Images.

However, the Red Devils legend pulled no punches in his assessment of the celebration as he labelled Maguire's form with his club as disgraceful.

"When a player scores, puts his hands to his ears he's like shutting the critics up, but I think that's embarrassing, he's been a disgrace to Man United," Keane said during ITV's coverage of England.

"He's been a disgrace the past few months for Manchester United. He thinks [because] he scores there he's going to shut his critics up. Embarrassing."

Maguire, who was born in Sheffield and made over 100 appearances for Sheffield United, defended his celebration, insisting it was not directed at anybody.

"The celebration was a knee slide, it just came naturally to me," said the defender.

"It's an amazing feeling to score for my country. It wasn't directed at anyone, it just came naturally to do that and open the scoring for England and get the important three points."

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Ian Wright and Jermaine Defoe were both in the ITV studio for the fixture and weighed in on the debate.

“You don’t need to do it,” said Wright.

“It’s something I probably would have done but you look at it now and think you don’t need that because you’ve got a lot of football to play. Don’t give them the opportunity to say you’ve got to him, just play your game Harry.”

Defoe added: “You don’t need to do it, you’ve scored the goal, it’s a good goal. What it does is put a sour taste in people’s mouths. I don’t like that.

“It gives people the opportunity to wait for that bad performance again, to have a go at him.”

CONTINUE READING -England's edge delights Gareth Southgate as Albania are ruthlessly swept aside.