England’s Harry Maguire says he can with the pressure of being in the spotlight after Gareth Southgate condemned the “ridiculous treatment” of the Manchester United defender.

The Manchester United centre back got his 59th cap as a substitute in England’s 3-1 win over Scotland in a friendly on Tuesday. However, he scored an own goal, which hurt his performance.

Every time Maguire touched the ball, Scotland fans cheered in a funny way.

“It’s a joke,” said Southgate. “I’ve never known a player treated the way he is — not by the Scottish fans, by our own commentators, pundits, whatever it is.”

Maguire, who is 30, hasn’t played much for United since Erik ten Hag took over, but he has been a regular for England, who have made it to the semifinals of the last three major tournaments.

“I would not say I am a person who struggles with pressure mentally,” said Maguire, who laughed off the Scotland fans’ behaviour as “banter”.

“I have been through a lot in the last couple of years and I have been Manchester United captain for nearly four years (Bruno Fernandes is the new captain).

“You take a huge lot of responsibility and everything that comes with it and that is a lot of bad as well as good.

“But it was a huge honour and of course it is a hostile environment here, which is how I described it, and they piled pressure on myself. I would not say I am used to it but I can deal with it.”

Maguire hasn’t played much for United so far this season because he was supposed to go to West Ham but that didn’t happen.

He said that his international career was a “big priority,” but he thinks he can still prove himself to Southgate by doing well when England picks him.

“I considered everything and I know, at the moment, when I have not started a game in the first four games of the season, the story comes to me,” he said, referring to his club future.

“I finished off last season with two very strong performances for England and I have played in all five matches to help put us where we are in qualifying, so I need to keep performing when I get chosen.

“Listen, at club football, I want to play games, I want to play football.

“The first four weeks were hard because it was one game a week and the manager didn’t select me but we have lots of games coming up now and I am sure I will play lots of games.”

Photo by EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN