Fury at man of match award for the player who broke Shaw’s leg
MANCHESTER United are upset with UEFA for naming Hector Moreno as man of the match in their defeat by PSV Eindhoven following his leg-breaking tackle on Luke Shaw. It emerged last night that the England defender is unlikely to play again this season.
United believe it was insensitive in the extreme for Moreno to be honoured in such a way by European football’s governing body after his challenge left Shaw with a sickening double fracture of the right leg.
The 20-year- old defender had surgery in Eindhoven in the early hours of yesterday morning and remained in hospital while the rest of the squad flew home in sombre mood.
It is understood that Shaw will be out of action for a minimum of six months, with his hopes of appearing in Euro 2016 next summer now in serious jeopardy.
A Manchester United club source said: ‘We find it strange and disappointing that UEFA made Moreno their man of the match after what happened to Luke.’
A UEFA spokesman explainedxplained that the award is decided by their team of reporters at the game. A story that appeared on the governing body’s official website yesterday quoting Moreno made no mention of Shaw’s injury.
UEFA have no plans to review the incident after the Mexico defender went unpunished by Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli for his lunging tackle in the 15th minute.
He added insult to injury by scoring PSV’s equaliser r in their 2- 1 Champions s League win.
Moreno, who broke his legg against Louis van Gaal’s s Holland in the World Cupp last summer, apologised to o Shaw but insisted the injuryy was an accident.
He said: ‘I feel really sorry y but I don’t think it was a foul. I think I played the ball. It wasn’t my intention to injure him.
‘But in this kind of situaation I don’t care if it was a foul, I feel bad for him and for his family.
‘I had a situation like that myself during the World Cup. Now I just hope he will be back as soon as possible.’
Shaw was rushed to St Anna Ziekenhuis hospital on the outskirts of Eindhoven where he was joined by his parents, who were in the crowd at the Philips Stadion. United chief executive Ed Woodward was one of the first people to visit him yesterday morning.
It is understood that the former Southampton defender suffered a clean break and the fractured bones did not pierce the skin of his right leg. However, he faces a lengthy layoff followed by extensive rehabilitation that could keep him out of action until next season.
Some of Shaw’s United teammates could not even bear to look as he received treatment on the pitch.
Club insiders have revealed that the players ate an after-match meal in almost complete silence at their hotel.
Daley Blind, who replaced Shaw at left back after he was carried off on a stretcher, admitted that the United players were psychologically affected by the incident.
‘It’s a massive blow if someone suffers an injury like that,’ said Blind. ‘We are a strong team unit so it cuts into you. Maybe it gets into your heads but you have to let it pass.
‘It’s something that may not actually influence you at that time. But you can be unaware, and perhaps in your head you unconsciously sympathise with him. But it’s a defeat and saying this should not pass the buck.’
Sportsmail refereeing expert Graham Poll insisted that Moreno should have been shown a straight red card and United awarded a penalty for the tackle in question.
But Howard Webb, another former Premier League referee, defended Rizzoli by claiming that the injury was caused by Shaw’s studs being caught in the turf.
He said: ‘Luke Shaw’s injury was awful and I wish him a speedy recovery, but I have got to say that the referee made the right decision on the night.
‘Moreno stretches with his right leg, which plays the ball cleanly. His left leg makes some contact on the follow through, but it is always tucked away under him and not aimed towards Luke Shaw.
‘Luke is unlucky in that he gets his studs caught and twists, which causes the injury, but I think the referee has made the right decision.’