Maguire could force Ronaldo to reconsider Man Utd dressing room request

Harry Maguire's howler against Atalanta could force Cristiano Ronaldo to reconsider taking on a more authoritative role in the Manchester United dressing room.

The United skipper's form has taken a massive dip this season and has been at fault for various goals the Red Devils have conceded.

And he was the main culprit once again in Bergamo as he inexplicably lost track of Duvan Zapata who put the Italians 2-1 ahead, before Ronaldo came to the rescue to secure a 2-2 draw.

Maguire is the club captain and the vocal leader in the dressing room, but it's claimed his poor performances have led United players to ask Ronaldo to take on a 'bigger role' following his half-time outburst in their 3-2 win over Atalanta a fortnight ago.

Harry Maguire has struggled for form this season ( Image:

PETER POWELL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

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Ronaldo intervened in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's pep talk during the break as United were losing 2-0.

Players were arguing among themselves and it was Ronaldo who made it clear to his teammates that the first half showing was not up to scratch as he tried to motivate his side ahead of the second period.

It's claimed the forward asked his teammates 'Are you not ashamed?' before Solskjaer then took back control of the team talk as the Red Devils went out for the second half.

Whatever was said, it certainly worked a treat as they completed a dramatic 3-2 comeback with Ronaldo scoring a stoppage-time winner.

And in the wake of Ronaldo's actions, Man Utd players have asked him to take up a 'bigger role' in the dressing room to strengthen the relationships between the players and the coaching staff, according to The Sun.

But the 36-year-old is happy for Maguire, who as captain is typically the authoritative voice in the changing room, to continue being the central mouthpiece.

Since that incident, United were humbled 5-0 by Liverpool at Old Trafford as Maguire endured a torrid afternoon against Jurgen Klopp's men.

He helped United secure a clean sheet in a 3-0 win against a poor Tottenham side, a result that led to the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo, but he was guilty of another defensive blunder against Atalanta on Thursday night with a mistimed slide tackle before Zapata's goal.

If his poor form continues, the calls for Ronaldo to take up this new role will only grow louder, especially since the Portugal captain is thriving since his move from Juventus.

The 36-year-old cancelled out Josip Ilicic's opener before snatching a crucial point with a sublime volley in stoppage time.