THE sight of Luke Shaw hobbling off against Aston Villa on Saturday wasn’t a welcome one for Manchester United. Naturally, no team wants to see a first team player suffer an injury, but Shaw is more than just a first team player. Indeed, the 26-year-old is arguably the most important player in the Old Trafford dressing room right now.
Some might point to Bruno Fernandes as United’s most important player, and with good reason. The Portuguese midfielder is frequently their creative spark and pace-setter, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has others capable of performing this role – Paul Pogba, for one. He doesn’t anyone else who can do what Shaw does, though.
Over the last 12 months, Shaw has flourished into the best attacking full back in the Premier League. His output for club and country has improved to the extent that the 26-year-old was considered one of England’s stars of Euro 2020 as he contributed three assists and scored in the final against Italy.
United’s approach under Solskjaer depends on Shaw’s willingness to get forward to open up space in the final third. Without that mobility, they can be somewhat predictable when faced with a low defensive block and an opponent content to sit deep and absorb pressure. Shaw is Solskjaer’s most effective method of breaking through.
Shaw is widely acknowledged as one of United’s best players, at least on the basis of his form over the last year, but it might only be in his absence that his true importance becomes clear. There was an instant drop-off in Manchester United’s attacking output as soon as Shaw was substituted off against Aston Villa, with the visitors comfortable in holding off the Old Trafford outfit.
Alex Telles is a decent option as a deputy, but the Brazilian doesn’t burst forward with the same urgency as Shaw. Telles is more likely to get an early cross into the box than make the byline which could make Manchester United more predictable in the final third even if Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo can offer aerial threat.
Diogo Dalot would be more suitable replacement for Shaw in that the Portuguese international is closer in profile than Telles, but he will likely be required at right back against Villarreal this week with Aaron Wan-Bissaka suspended for the Champions League fixture. With Harry Maguire also out for the visit of the Europa League champions, Solskjaer is short of depth in defence.
34’: Luke Shaw forced off
67’: Harry Maguire forced offTwo injuries to Manchester United’s back line pic.twitter.com/trY0iOCpnt
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 25, 2021
It’s not yet known how serious Shaw’s injury is, but United will be a poorer team for as long as he is absent. The 26-year-old has been Solskjaer’s greatest individual success story during his time as Manchester United manager with Shaw finally fulfilling the potential he demonstrated earlier in his career.
“His man-management is second to none,” Shaw recently said when asked to explain the impact Solskjaer has had on his game. “The way he conducts himself in terms of how he speaks to the players, it gets the best out of them. You can see that. For me, especially, from what I had before Ole came in, it is a total difference. It has pushed me to a new level.”
After three disappointing defeats in four games that has seen United crash out of the Carabao Cup and lose ground in the Champions League and Premier League, Solskjaer needs a positive result against Villarreal on Wednesday night and the absence of Shaw will make this more difficult to achieve.
As recently as May, in last season’s Europa League final, Unai Emery’s side showed their ability to nullify Manchester United’s attack, and that was with Shaw on the pitch. They will be stubborn opponents on Wednesday night. Ironically, this is the sort of match United ordinarily would have called on Shaw to break open.
