£38m Premier League star says Manchester United ace was his toughest opponent

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There was some good news for Manchester United supporters as Erik ten Hag provided his latest injury update ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brentford. 

And it’s not often we’ve said that this season. Touch wood, but the injury crisis which has followed Manchester United like a dark cloud all throughout 2023/24 appears to be easing, and in very timely fashion too. 

The Red Devils had Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund back for that FA Cup thriller against Liverpool. The much-missed Lisandro Martinez should be in the squad at Brentford tonight. 

And we could still see Luke Shaw again before the season comes to an end, Ten Hag hopeful that United’s first-choice left-back will have a part to play in the final stretch. Should United reach successive FA Cup finals, for instance, Shaw should be in line to feature. 

“Yes, I expect him back before the end of the season,” the Dutchman explains. “He is still on schedule and will return to our team.” 

Manchester United hopeful over Luke Shaw return

It is no coincidence that Man United enjoyed their longest winning run of the Premier League season with Shaw in Ten Hag’s XI.

The England international’s best display of the campaign arguably came during February’s 3-0 win over West Ham at Old Trafford. A performance which certainly lives long in the memory of West Ham forward Mohammed Kudus, the £38 million Ghana international describing Shaw as the toughest opponent he has come up against since moving to England during his interview with The Guardian. 

Shaw shut down Mohammed Kudus in West Ham clash

Kudus, who worked with Ten Hag at Ajax, has been one of the most effective newcomers in the division this term. Kudus has reached 20 now for combined goals and assists. 15 of the former and five of the latter. 

He never looked like adding to that tally when David Moyes’ side travelled to Manchester, however, Kudus shut down by a man who’s return to the United XI cannot come soon enough.