Manchester United center-back Harry Maguire has insisted there are “definitely no cliques” in the England squad despite the altercation between Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling and Liverpool defender Joe Gomez earlier this week.
Sterling had been dropped by national team coach Gareth Southgate for Thursday’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Montenegro at Wembley after confronting his fellow England team-mate Gomez on Monday.
The two players had also clashed the previous day, as Sterling’s Manchester City were beaten 3-1 by Gomez and Liverpool, and there was a slight scuffle that carried on into the next day but Sterling admitted that his emotions got the better of him.
However, Manchester United defender Maguire remains confident that the issues between players from rival clubs will not continue to affect England on an international stage as they reportedly have in the past.
When asked by reporters if there were any cliques in the England dressing room to which the 26-year-old United defender replied by saying that almost everyone shares table jokes and the atmosphere is positive and light, “No, everybody mixes. I think you’ve seen how good the unity in the squad is over the last couple of years. It’s been a good two years and the group has grown together. We continue to keep on growing and that’s really important. No, definitely no cliques. We all share tables and share jokes and laughs together.”
The Three Lions need only a point against Montenegro to qualify for the Euro’s but Manchester United will be hoping that Maguire doesn’t pick up an injury on the international break. The most expensive center-back has shown that he can improve the United backline and could push for a top-four spot by the end of the season.
