Everyone’s having a go at us... but Arsenal are even worse!
Shaw fired up after United’s team-bonding winter break
AS praise is heaped on Manchester United’s latest discovery, Brandon Williams, it should be remembered his rival Luke Shaw had played in a World Cup and become the fourth most-expensive defender in the world by the time he was 20.
Indeed, Shaw is still only 24 and, refreshed by a team-bonding camp in Marbella, has plenty of fight left having overcome a career-threatening broken leg under Louis van Gaal and harsh public criticism from Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho once boasted of guiding Shaw through a match against Everton, proclaiming the defender’s performance was “his body with my brain”. You can’t imagine Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being so disrespectful. Shaw likes his manager’s philosophy of protecting players and believes they now owe him a few results, starting at Chelsea tomorrow with United six points adrift in the race for a Champions League spot.
‘Ole is different to other managers I’ve played for who have not been slow in criticising us,’ acknowledges Shaw, who rejected a move to Stamford Bridge to join United in 2014. ‘Every manager has their own way of doing things. Jose had his methods and you have to accept they believe it’s the best way to be successful.
‘But we’re all aware how this manager has tried to take the criticism on himself this season. We admire him for that but understand there comes a time when players have to look at themselves and realise it’s all on us.
‘The manager can’t keep defending us. We’re the ones who need to shoulder the blame and start performing on the pitch. This is Manchester United. You know why you’re here.’
Solskjaer fears for his job if United fail to win a trophy or qualify for the Champions League, with names like Mauricio Pochettino and Gareth Southgate mentioned as prospective replacements.
United’s rebuild post-Alex Ferguson has not been smooth, although summer signings Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have strengthened their defence and £46million Portuguese midfielder
Bruno Fernandes looked decent on debut before the winter break.
Their only league win of 2020 so far came against bottom club Norwich at Old Trafford and their deadline day signing of former Watford striker Odion Ighalo from the Chinese League was widely mocked.
Shaw considers the wave of negativity as over the top but predictable, given United’s size. ‘We know you need a thick skin to play football, especially so for the biggest club in the world,’ he admits.
‘Everyone is watching, everyone wants to have a go when you lose. It’s part and parcel of playing for United. No disrespect to Arsenal because I think they are a fantastic club but they’re not having the greatest season and it hardly gets mentioned. I find it funny that if it’s United, everyone criticises.
‘We know when we haven’t been good enough. We’re here to take this club back to where it belongs — winning trophies and challenging for titles. There are a lot of good days to come.’
Whereas most Premier League clubs allowed their players individual time off during the winter break, Solskjaer flew his squad to southern Spain to spend time together, which included training, meals out, paintballing and candid discussions about improving form.
‘We are a really close bunch. Ole has brought that in a lot more. We worked hard on the trip and it was a great chance to get to know Bruno, not just as a player. There are a lot of good friendships in the squad,’ says Shaw.
‘Minds and bodies are refreshed and we are ready for Stamford Bridge. What’s brought us even closer is a determination to improve because we have been sloppy at times.’
Shaw is positive about the challenge of fighting for his place against the emerging Williams. ‘The competition is good for the club,’ he says.
And he hopes there is time to catch the eye of England manager Gareth Southgate before Euro 2020. ‘I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about the Euros,’ he said.