IRWIN: Luke is Shaw facing fight to stay
DENIS Irwin believes Daley Blind could be the biggest threat to Luke Shaw in his quest to climb his way back to first choice left-back.
The 1999 Treble-winner Irwin is in United’s top 10 all-time appearances makers with 529 games for the Reds.
The Irishman moved to Old Trafford from Oldham as a rightback but the bulk of his matches were as Sir Alex Ferguson’s go-to number three. His Mr Consistent tag saw him hold off all challengers for the position for more than a decade.
Now Irwin believes it is the most open position in United’s team.
Jose Mourinho’s left-back spot is hotly contested and the United boss controversially has said that £27m Shaw is fourth in line.
Games are running out to convince Mourinho before he plans the second phase of his Old Trafford rebuild in the summer.
However, Irwin still believes that Shaw will get the chance to fightback at Old Trafford. “He’s only a young lad and he’s come back from a horrendous injury. All he can do is get his head down, work as hard as possible to impress the manager. He’s only young so he’s got time on his side,” said Irwin.
“You’ve seen the talent’s there. The first couple of months he was fantastic. It’s up to the manager to decide when he wants to throw him in there.
“It’s very competitive. He’s got to compete with that. Every game on the run-in is very, very important. It’s up to the manager if he does play Luke when to throw him in, that’s his decision.”
Shaw’s rivals are Blind, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo who’ve all operated in the left-back berth for Mourinho.
“It’s been a bit of a battle this year to play leftback. You saw Darmian play quite a few games there, Blind has been very, very good at left-back, very consistent, Rojo played in the EFL Cup final on Sunday – there’s competition there for Luke,” added Irwin. “Rojo has played a lot of games at centre-half, Daley’s played at centre-half, can play midfield and leftback as well. Darmian’s more comfortable in the right-back position. “You could say that Shaw is the only natural left-back, but Daley Blind for me has been very consistent when he’s played left-back. Daley has been fantastic whenever he’s played there. It’s very competitive. He (Shaw) is just going to have to get his head down and battle away. “It looks like the position that’s the most open in the team at the moment. I think everybody will be given an opportunity with the amount of games coming up. “It’s a position that’s fairly open in the team and it’s up to each player who comes in to play as best as they can, simple as.” Denis Irwin was speaking at the launch of United’s global partnership with online marketplace, Aladdin Street.
It’s very competitive. Shaw us just going to have to get his head down and battle away Denis Irwin