Harry Maguire To Start From Bench Against Arsenal Amid Bomb Threat And Form

Ralf Rangnick is preparing to take Harry Maguire out of the starting lineup for Manchester United’s trip to Arsenal on Saturday, The Athletic understands.

Maguire has struggled for form in recent weeks and is set to start on the bench for the crunch match at The Emirates.

United need to win in north London to keep their faint hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League alive. They trail both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League by three points, having played a game in hand.

Maguire, 29, had a difficult night in United’s most recent match, a 4-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday.

He has to deal with extreme reactions to his form and now is seen as a good time for a break, with the player to be rested on compassionate terms.

The Athletic understands the security operation around Maguire has been strengthened after Cheshire Police conducted a sweep of the England international’s house on Thursday following a bomb threat. But the player still wants to travel with the squad.

The police said they had been “called to reports of a bomb threat at an address in the Wilmslow area”.

Their statement added: “No evacuations took place, but as a precautionary measure a police explosives dog has attended the address this afternoon, Thursday, 21 April, to conduct a search of the gardens and surrounding area.”

Their statement added: “No evacuations took place, but as a precautionary measure a police explosives dog has attended the address this afternoon, Thursday, 21 April, to conduct a search of the gardens and surrounding area.”

A spokesperson for Maguire described the incident as “a serious threat” but insisted the defender was “continu(ing) to prepare for this weekend’s fixture as normal”.

In total, Maguire has made 35 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United this season and has missed just five Premier League matches for the club.

His continued availability has been a source of comfort for both Rangnick and former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.