Telles arrival has inspired Shaw, insists Fernandes
BRUNO Fernandes believes the arrival of Alex Telles prompted Luke Shaw’s displays for United this season.
After years of struggling to realise his potential following his £30m move to the Reds in 2014, the England international is in the form of his career.
The left-back won United’s Player of the Month award for February, during which he notched four assists and helped in two clean sheets.
Fernandes believes the added competition from summer signing Telles has driven Shaw on.
“I think Luke deserves it,” Fernandes said of the award. “He’s been playing really, really well in the last few months. I think he started a little bit slow like everyone did.
“I think the competition between Alex (Telles) and Luke has given both of them the chances to be better and to improve. This is really important because you know if you are not performing well you will be out of the team.
“I think Luke started to perform well when he had that pressure from Alex. At the same time, Alex when he plays has played really well because he knows that Luke is on the bench.
“So the pressure between them is good but the relationship between them is better, I have seen that in the stands.
“Alex is always pushing to help everyone and I remember when I came off against Real Sociedad it was Luke in the stands and I saw a lot of times Luke pushing to help Alex.
“This is what we’re about. You can be fighting for the same place, but you are fighting for the same achievements.
“This has to be like that in every position in the team, we have to understand that whoever is playing it’s because the manager thinks he’s better for the team in that moment.”