Skip to main content

Shaw: I am ready to make a first-team return



The 22-year-old left-back had not played in any sort of match since damaging ligaments against Swansea City at Old Trafford in April, but he gladly made his return to action at Leigh Sports Village as Ricky Sbragia’s youngsters secured a 1-1 draw, coincidentally against the Swans' youth side.

Shaw played for 59 minutes on Monday and so too did Ashley Young, who had also been sidelined through injury since picking up a serious hamstring problem in last season’s UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg tie at Celta Vigo in Spain, rendering Monday an important night for the duo.

“I’m feeling really good and I only push on from here,” a smiling Shaw told MUTV after the final whistle. “I’m looking for the first-team spot now, I’m going to keep pushing, and when the manager needs me I’m going to be ready. Whenever that is, I’m really looking forward to it. I’d rather it was sooner rather than later, but I’m feeling good and whenever I’m called upon, I’m ready.

“I was very happy to get an hour tonight – it was very important for me and for Ashley to get the minutes after the rehab we’ve had. It was a very positive 60 minutes – me and Ash both feel good. I feel very good and hopefully I can push on now, keep myself fit and get stronger and stronger.”
  
“It’s always awful watching because you want to be out there. But the lads have been really impressive and deep down it comes from the manager and his tactical stuff that we do in training which seems to be working. Everyone’s buying into it and working hard on the training pitch to do what he wants us to do. The lads are looking really good and now I’m going to be pushing to be back up there with them.”

Ashley used his personal Instagram account to reflect on the beneficial outing, posting an image from the game with this message to his followers: “Felt great to be back, it has been a long few months!”

Young's presence among the young players also provided a shot in the arm for Sbragia’s prospects, according to Shaw. “I’m grateful to have been playing first-team football for four years now, so I’ve got experience, but we had the likes of Youngy in the dressing room with way more experience than me. He’s been through it all and knows everything for the young lads in the dressing room.

“You could tell on the pitch and even inside that he was great for everyone. It was great for morale among the young lads to be around Ashley, with the way he is vocally, and what he does on the pitch, which is so impressive. He’s someone for them to look up to.”

United welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford on Saturday in what is the final senior match before the impending international break, and it appears unlikely that Shaw will be involved in that game. However, the manager has previously stated that he expects the defender to return in September and that is likely with seven first-team fixtures to fulfill in the top-flight, UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku dilemma

Lukaku, 24, has scored four goals in his first three Manchester United starts but is set to face competition from 35-year-old Ibrahimovic when the Swede returns from injury later in the season. United's decision to re-sign Ibrahimovic has bolstered Mourinho's attack but could also provide him with a dilemma as to who starts up front during the run-in, when United will hope to be challenging for the Premier League. Mourinho had already fielded over half-a-dozen questions on Ibrahimovic's return before he was asked about whether Lukaku and Ibrahimovic could form a successful axis. "No," Mourinho replied, refusing to take any more questions on Ibrahimovic. "In this moment they can speak on the phone that is all they can do, not even face-to-face because he [Ibrahimovic]’s not here." Earlier, Mourinho said: "If we progress in the Champions League and if we progress in one of the two cups, I don’t even say both, if we do ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jose Mourinho hinted a role of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Manchester United

  United's decision to re-sign Ibrahimovic until the end of the current campaign has bolstered an already enviable attack which has walloped West Ham and Swansea 4-0 this month, while £75million signing Lukaku has hit four goals in three games. The prolific Lukaku has started with Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata in attack but Anthony Martial has struck twice as a substitute and Paul Pogba already has more goals than he had in mid-October last year. Mourinho rarely plays two up front and Ibrahimovic's return could provide him with a dilemma as to whether the 35-year-old, who has made just six substitute appearances in league and Champions League matches throughout his career, plays second fiddle to Lukaku. "I see Zlatan as important for the team," Mourinho said. " I just say that my squad is better for sure, he is one more option, he is one more striker, he is one more experienced player, he is one more player tha...
Post a Comment
Read more

What Manchester United need to improve after defeat.

Right wing issue continues Bordeaux's left-footed right winger Malcom was United's early January target before Alexis Sanchez became attainable. How to accommodate him in a Premier League fixture was the obvious quandary and Jose Mourinho did so by shifting Anthony Martial to the right flank, which was an obvious error. It was to Martial's credit he fashioned a couple of openings during the first-half horror show and he still spent the majority of it on the fringes, as the enterprising Sanchez troubled Tottenham with his darts across the attacking line. Jesse Lingard did not vindicate the decision to keep him behind Romelu Lukaku. Martial was the inevitable fall guy, given the Sanchez signing and Lingard's fabulous form. Lingard is perhaps the least talented of the trio and it was telling that at the start of the second half he was moved to the right and Martial occupied his favoured left wing berth. The irony is Martial was poorer ther...
Post a Comment
Read more