Luke Shaw scored his first goal for Man Utd in more than three years during the 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.
Luke Shaw scored his first goal since January 2023 during United’s win against Nottingham Forest
Michael Carrick backed Luke Shaw to remain an important part of the Manchester United squad next season, even if he doesn’t start as many games as he has done this term.
Shaw is on course to start every Premier League game if he keeps his place at Brighton next week and he scored his first goal in more than three years during Sunday’s 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest.
The left-back’s Old Trafford career seemed to be hanging by a thread after a couple of injury-disrupted seasons, but he has been back to his best this season and seems to have put those injury issues behind him.
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Shaw, 30, had played just 19 Premier League games across the last two seasons, but United’s reduced schedule this year has enabled him to stay fit and keep his place in the side. That challenge won’t be as easy next season and the club are in the market for another left-back this summer, but Carrick insisted he would still play an important role due to the experience he brings to the squad.
“I think it’s difficult for anybody to be honest,” he said of that record. “I think when there’s so many games it’s not an easy thing to be able to do, sometimes it’s no fault of your own.
“Unfortunately, injuries and things are part of football and there’s other things that come into play. So to start every game is a really fantastic thing to be able to do.
“Next season is a new season, there’s different types of runs of games so that’s part of adapting but then that’s a little bit older and experience in knowing your body and managing things.
“He’s at that stage now where he’s got an awful lot of experience, he’s been here for a long time, he knows the club, he knows what it feels like, he knows the ups and he’s suffered some of the more challenging times, you know, so next season I think his experience will be valuable, however many games he plays.”
Shaw hasn’t played for England since the Euro 2024 final, but he has been included in a 55-man long-list for the World Cup. He will find out if he has made the 26-man squad on Friday, along with Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo, and Carrick backed him to go to the tournament in North America.
“I certainly think so, yeah,” he said. “I haven’t got much sway in the matter at all, but I certainly think so. Again, the consistency, just what he’s capable of doing, the performance, the experience, his strengths, his attributes that he’s got. For me, he’s a fantastic full-back.
“I think between them, I think all three of them have done their chances the one recently for sure.”
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
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