Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho met the media today to preview tomorrow’s Premier League clash at Bournemouth. You can view the whole media session in full at this link.
Mourinho was asked about Defender Luke Shaw and responded with comments that signified a major opportunity is in store for the oft-injured but still very talented and promising left back. First though, a little background on the player who, at the time, signed the richest contract for a teenager in British history.
Mourinho, during his pre-Europa League press conference, was asked why Luke Shaw wasn’t named to the squad that would take on St. Etienne and why he continues to be left out. Despite being match fit since mid January, Luke Shaw has made just one appearance since the end of November; in a fourth round FA Cup match.
Shaw was left behind for the trip to ASSE.
“He stayed behind in Manchester because I am playing with Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo, Matteo Darmian, and all of them are playing the way I like full-backs to play,” Mourinho said then.
“Luke has to wait for his chance, he has to work better and better, knowing that I give nothing for free. When I give something for the players it is expensive for me, it is not cheap.
“They have to work really hard every day, they have to play well, so he has to wait and in this moment he is behind the others. Potentially he has many things that I like, but one thing is potentially and another thing is on the pitch to express all the qualities I like a player to express. He has to keep working like [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan did for a long time.”
That was then, and this is now. Here is Mourinho today on Luke Shaw:
“Luke Shaw is selected for tomorrow so you won’t need to have the guys at The Lowry to take the pics to see if he’s selected, he’s in the list, so one step up from not being in the final.
“Not even on the bench and now again like Wayne he’s selected, playing or on the bench, he become again an option to us.”
“Luke is working hard, he’s trying to improve, he improved by the physical point of view I can say that by good dedication, specific work and now he needs some opportunities to feel alive, he needs minutes on the pitch to show evolution is not physical but globally because a player is not just a better physical condition.”
We’re convinced enough that we’re going to put Luke Shaw in our starting XI prediction.
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