I’LL TAKE ANOTHER LUKE
Injury-hit Shaw gets his latest chance as Jose hunts for left-back he can really trust
LUKE SHAW tonight gets another chance to prove he can solve Manchester United’s problems at left-back. Shaw has yet to play for League Cup holders United this season, having only just returned following a four-month injury lay-off with ligament damage suffered last April. The 22-year-old has played just reserve three matches this season and has endured three injury-blighted years at the club. Since his £27million move from Southampton, the England man has made just 47 appearances for the Reds. A broken leg saw him miss virtually all of the 2015-16 campaign, while Mourinho and his predecessor Louis van Gaal publicly questioned Shaw’s focus and professionalism. But tonight’s visit of Championship side Burton gives Shaw his latest opportunity to show he can finally make the left-back position his own. As well as Shaw, Mourinho has tried Matteo Darmian, Ashley Young, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo, with none having done enough to make themselves undroppable there. Former United defender Gary Neville, speaking after United’s 4-0 win over Everton on Sunday, identified left-back as the one area still causing concern for Mourinho. “The problem is at left-back, where Ashley Young was put under a lot of pressure by Tom Davies and Cuco Martina,” said Neville. “Blind’s played there, Rojo’s played there, Shaw’s played there, Darmian’s played there, but they can’t button that one down.” Mourinho claimed his squad is not big enough for him to make wholesale changes. He said: “I have given only four players two days off – David De Gea, Antonio Valencia, Nemanja Matic and Eric Bailly. “It’s a competition and we take it seriously. If we go to the next round, probably these guys will play and I’ll give a rest to others.” United skipper Michael Carrick, yet to feature this term, is set to start, and Mourinho added: “Sergio Romero played the Europa League final, which was the game of the season for us, and he is not playing at the moment. “Ander Herrera was player of the season and he’s not starting matches. That’s life in big clubs.” ■■The Carabao Cup fourth round draw will be made live tonight on Sky Sports News after United’s tie.