Man City defender John Stones shockingly praises his town rival, Harry Maguire.

After the last Manchester derby, Man United fans watched a horrible performance from the red devils, registering only one shot on target.

Meanwhile, Stones started in that fixture, replacing Aymeric Laporte, and contributed to Man City's masterclass at Old Trafford, completely outplaying and dismantling their cross-town rivals. This year, Maguire has been linked with a ton of criticism and controversy, as Man United continues to concede goals and drop points.

Receiving praise amid a challenging season may come as a surprise for Maguire; as the captain and centre back, the Englishman often receives blame for United's inconsistent performances.

But, Stones and Maguire experienced battling it for the English national team during the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020. Man City's star defends his English comrade, suggesting he will soon come around for the Red Devils.

Via Manchester Evening

“Harry is an incredible person, first and foremost, and a strong character at that, so I have no doubt that he will come good for Manchester United,” Stones told talkSPORT.

“I don’t want to say that he’s not playing well, because I actually think he’s doing so many things right, but it’s just gets magnified and sometimes taken out of proportion.”

After Man United's terrible losses against Liverpool and Man City, fans question the team's capability of finishing in the top four this season— despite the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo. To maintain a consistent form this season, players such as Maguire would have to step up.

“I am not passing the blame or anything but as a character and person that I know, I do believe that he’ll be the incredible player that he is and be back to that very soon.”

“He’s got that character and mentality to get back to how he was and I believe he will.”

Man United is placed at sixth in the Premier League, behind England's massive clubs. Can the Red Devils turn it around soon? Or will they succumb to the constant pressure and expectations?