Manchester United were hoping to have Luke Shaw available today, as they take on Leicester City in what is essentially a Champions League play-in contest.
The first choice left back was in contention to feature at the King Power Stadium on Championship Sunday, despite missing the last three matches due to a swollen ankle. However, just ahead of kick-off, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ruled the English international out for the rest of 2019-20.
That means he’ll miss the rest of United’s UEFA Europa League campaign, and we won’t see him again until the 2020-21 season, which starts in mid-Sept.
Solskjær: "Luke [Shaw] will be out until next season, that’s a blow for him and a blow for us because he’s been fantastic." #mulive [mutv]
— utdreport (@utdreport) July 26, 2020
This is a substantial blow no doubt, as the drop-off to the next man up on the depth chart, Brandon Williams, is severe. While many United supporters aren’t all that enthused about Shaw from time to time, he’s by far the best option at the position on the current roster.
Williams has struggled lately, with Timothy Fosu-Mensah perhaps a better option, but he doesn’t have the chemistry with the other players that Williams does (due to BW having acquired much more playing time recently). Nevertheless, Luke Shaw missing a lot of time due to injury is certainly nothing new, and it’s indicative of the United’s need to get a new LB in the transfer market this summer.
Shaw has been extremely injury prone during his time at Old Trafford, and he just can’t be counted on to really put in a full work load over the course of an entire season.
Championship Sunday FYIs
Kickoff: 4pm BST/11am ET, July 26, King Power Stadium
United starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Team news for both sides: go to this link
Prediction: Leicester 2, United 2
Although United are favored, it’s only very slightly, and they’ll head into this match with much less rest. That’s a major factor of the Red Devils have certainly looked overworked lately. However, they are much more closer to full fitness right now and with the Leicester sans some key players, I believe the visitors will get the result they need here.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
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