The booing of Harry Maguire by England fans on Tuesday was pathetic and unacceptable.

I admit to having my doubts about big Maguire’s defensive abilities at the highest level. Back when he was at Sheffield United, I remember many supporters saying he was too slow, clumsy and indecisive to even make it to the Premier League. I was one of them.

And while he has done a lot to prove the doubters wrong over the past few years, his recent form for Manchester United has been questionable at best, dithery at worst. Many of those old frailties, which he seemed to have buried in the past, have risen back to the surface.

But, and this is the key point I would like to make: I don’t remember him ever letting England down. Not once.

In fact, I would suggest his performances for his country have been invariably solid, and he was instrumental in England reaching the semi-final of the World Cup and the final of Euro 2020; a robust and reliable presence throughout both tournaments.

So for him to be booed while in an England shirt is, as Gareth Southgate said, an absolute joke.

Sadly, Maguire isn’t the first England player to be booed – in fact, he joins a long list of stars who have been on the receiving end of abuse from their own fans, including David Beckham, John Terry, Joe Gomez, Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney.

The difference, however, is that there was generally always a subplot with the others – racism issues, awful penalty misses, marriage shenanigans or costly red cards. Something those players had done which, even if it didn’t justify the booing, at least explained it.

There is no such legitimisation in Maguire’s case. On the domestic front, he may be suffering from an almost tragic loss of form but he hasn’t – for some reason – allowed that crisis of confidence to spill over to the Three Lions.

If there is one thing that could make his international form go tits-up, it is being booed by his own fans

But I tell you what, if there is one thing that could make his international form go tits-up, it is being booed by his own fans when his name is read out to the Wembley crowd. That’s not going to put a spring in anyone’s step.

Egypt cheated out of World Cup

If the World Cup qualifier between Senegal and Egypt isn’t replayed then it will be a travesty of justice.

With the game all square at the end of time, they moved on to penalties, where Egypt legend Mo Salah missed a crucial kick, sending home team Senegal through. But Salah only missed after having several powerful green lasers shone in his face.

That is about as unsporting as it is possible to get, and the game – or at least the penalties – should be replayed behind closed doors; without a shadow of a doubt. And that’s just on the basis of the lasers.

There were numerous other incidents before and during the match, including the Egyptian team bus being attacked, and racial abuse being hurled at their players. None of which are acceptable.

Right now, Egypt feel like they have been cheated out of a place at the World Cup. And it’s very hard to disagree with them. FIFA need to act.

What’s behind City’s revenues?

Can someone explain to me how – if it isn’t on the back of dodgy, overinflated sponsorship deals – Manchester City are now the richest club in the world?

Last week, City topped Deloitte’s Football Money League for the first time, generating a whopping €645 million in revenue during the 2020-21 season.

Now I understand they were champions that season and got to the Champions League final, but I still don’t see them as being on a commercial par with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona. Those massive clubs, with their much richer histories and considerably deeper fan bases, all contrived to earn less than City.

That’s got to have raised a few eyebrows in a few places. And no, this isn’t some vindictive conspiracy against City. It is about making sure that there is a level playing field for all teams, even those with insanely rich owners.

I would have been just as sceptical if Paris Saint-Germain, for example, had topped Deloitte’s list. It just doesn’t make sense that a club that are relative newcomers to the top table of European football can suddenly become commercial giants.

Pochettino needs to step up his losing game

News broke recently that Manchester United had held talks with Ajax’s Erik ten Hag about the soon-to-be-vacant-once-again managerial position at Old Trafford.

I can see the logic in United going for someone young and upwardly mobile like ten Hag who is highly rated and would certainly be in it for the long term.

However, he is apparently just one name on a relatively long list of possible recruits which, given United’s recent shambolic attempts to find themselves the right manager, sounds rather sensible.

The revelations that United were sitting by the fireside fluttering their eyelashes at ten Hag probably sent a chill down the spine of one Mauricio Pochettino, a long-time favourite for the Old Trafford job.

As you know, the Argentinian has been trying hard to get fired by PSG recently to pave the way for him to move to Manchester – if he is unemployed there will be no compensation.

He started off by clutching defeat from the jaws of victory against Real Madrid in the Champions League and then doubled down by organising an abysmal 3-0 defeat at Monaco for his troubled collection of superstars.

And that was all before the ten Hag news broke.

Now the international break is over we can probably expect a few more horrific PSG performances as Pochettino’s plan to make himself readily available for United goes into overdrive…