In addition to his ability to adapt well to the new position, Luke Shaw also impressed coach Erik Ten Hag with his progressive spirit and leadership qualities.

Ten Hag shared that he considered carefully when using Shaw as a central defender in the 2-1 win over Manchester City in the 20th round of the Premier League. “Luke has strength, technique and good situational reading. When you analyze the threɑt from Erling Haaland and the support from Kevin De Bruyne, you see him as the right countermeasure,” said the Dutch coach.

Not only defending, Shaw also actively supported Manchester United’s ball deployment. Ten Hag added: “He helps a lot when we attɑck the left wing. He is left-footed and is used to running on the left side, so he often drifts to this area to help teammates like cover or receive passes.”

The former Southampton defender locked Haaland while playing at centre-back.

Since the World Cup, Shaw has made 4 appearances as a central defender for the “Red Devils”. In particular, the English player helped MU win and only conceded 2 goals. The 27-year-old defender gradually gained Ten Hag’s trust and pushed Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof or world champion Lisandro Martinez to the bench.

Just a few months ago, it was Shaw who was the face that often had to sit on the bench at MU. After two defeats at the start of the season to Brighton and Brentford, the former Southampton man was dropped by Ten Hag for the next five Premier League matches. However, Shaw returned and made an excellent comeback.

Coach Ten Hag explained about this: “I like Luke’s honesty. After failing in the first two games of the season, he said he accepted being left out of the starting lineup because he knew he wasn’t playing well. Then he started training and gradually improved. The way he copes with difficult situations shows that Luke is a top player.”

“Not only on an individual level, his return is also an example for the whole team. In the midfield position, Luke is increasingly showing good leadership on the field and is an important factor in helping MU win big matches. Having many versatile players like him is also necessary for the team,” Ten Hag did not regret praising Shaw.

Up to now, the 52-year-old strategist is successfully reviving the pillars of the Old Trafford team. Besides Shaw, Marcus Rashford is also regaining top form when scoring in 9 consecutive matches at home. With them in the squad, MU is full of hope towards a successful season.