sport news England boss Gareth Southgate tells Harry Maguire he will be VITAL at World Cup trends now Gareth Southgate assures Harry Maguire that he will be a VITAL player for England at the World Cup in Qatar - despite the Manchester United defender coming under major scrutiny for his lack of games this season By Sami Mokbel for the Daily Mail Published: 22:31 GMT, 15 November 2022 | Updated: 22:31 GMT, 15 November 2022 Viewcomments Gareth Southgate has assured Harry Maguire he will be a vital player in England's World Cup adventure despite his difficult season at Manchester United. Maguire's place in the England team is under scrutiny after spending most of this season on the bench or injured. But it is understood Southgate has made a point of keeping regular contact with the 29-year-old in the hope of raising his spirits ahead of Qatar. Gareth Southgate (right) has told Harry Maguire he will be vital for England at the World Cup Maguire's place in the England team is under scrutiny after spending most of this season on the bench or injured for Manchester United The England boss views Maguire as one of the leaders in his squad - alongside the likes of Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson. And Southgate has reiterated Maguire's importance to his team during a number of personal chats between the pair in the lead-up to the tournament. The fact Southgate has taken steps to maintain regular dialogue with Maguire provides a strong indication that the England boss will stick with the centre back in his starting XI for Monday's game against Iran. The England boss views Maguire as one of the leaders in his squad alongside Harry Kane Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility