6 EPL Stars Who Lost Armbands After ten Hag Axed Maguire As Captain

6 EPL Stars Who Lost Armbands After ten Hag Axed Maguire As Captain

Fred Kennedy
updated at July 17, 2023 at 8:09 PM
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  • Harry Maguire recently joined a long list of Premier League players who have previously been axed as captains
  • The Man United defender was stripped of the role by Erik ten Hag after falling down the pecking order
  • Granit Xhaka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are among the top players who have previously lost the armband

Premier League skippers getting stripped of captaincy is not foreign in the English top flight.

Recently, Harry Maguire became the latest EPL star to lose the armband after Erik ten Hag axed him as the Manchester United captain.

Maguire was demoted as United's skipper on Sunday, July 16, with the Englishman confirming the development via social media.

Harry Maguire looks dejected during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Photo by Michael Regan.
Harry Maguire looks dejected during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Photo by Michael Regan.
Source: Getty Images

In a post shared by the former Leicester City star, Maguire disclosed that the decision was reached by Ten Hag after a discussion with the Dutchman.

“After discussions with the manager today he has informed me he is changing captain," the centre-back disclosed via Goal.
“I will always be grateful to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for first giving me the responsibility and I wish whoever now takes it on every success and they will have my full support," he added.

Incidentally, Maguire is not the only Premier League captain to have lost the armband, with the English defender now joining a string of other players who have previously been stripped of the role.

Sports Brief takes a look at eight Premier League players who have previously faced a similar fate as Maguire's.

1. William Gallas

According to The Mirror, Arsene Wenger left everyone stunned after he chose William Gallas as Arsenal's new captain after the departure of Thierry Henry in 2007.

However, Gallas did not last for long as the skipper, with a fallout with his own teammates leaving Wenger with no choice but to get rid of him as the captain.

2. Sami Hyypia

The Liverpool legend would often deputies Robbie Fowler as the Reds' captain in the absence of the injured Jamie Redknapp.

A year after the 2000/01 campaign, he was named the outright captain at Anfield.

However, a dip in form saw him lose the role to Steven Gerrard.

3. Joey Barton

The former QPR star lost his captaincy in one of the most peculiar ways.

Barton captained QPR to Premier League survival in 2011/12 in their first season back in the top flight.

Given the circumstances, he was expected to keep the armband for some time.

However, his indiscipline on the final day of the season against Man City saw him red-carded and handed an FA fine before eventually being axed as the skipper.

4. Granit Xhaka

The Swiss midfielder may have inked his name as one of the most influential players at the Emirates in recent years.

However, the circumstances that led to him being axed as the club's captain will forever be a part of him.

Xhaka was involved in a confrontation with Arsenal supporters before a decision was made to have him stripped of the captaincy.

5. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Auba was the man who succeeded Xhaka after the Swiss lost the armband.

However, the Gabonese did not keep it for long, either.

A dip in form and instances of indiscipline left Mikel Arteta with no choice but to get rid of the ex-Dortmund.

6. John Terry

And finally, on this list is John Terry.

The Chelsea legend was axed as the England captain after he was alleged to have racially abused Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League clash pitting QPR and Chelsea during the 2011/12 campaign.

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Fred Kennedy
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