Manchester United came back in the Premier League against Bournemouth – but it was a rather disappointing display by a certain Red Devil who looked way off the pace, for good reason.
It was another drab performance for Manchester United in the Premier League. Ruben Amorim’s side went 1-0 down against the Cherries in the first half thanks to an Antoine Semenyo strike – but thankfully a late Rasmus Hojlund goal saved a point.
No United player stood out at the Vitality Stadium, but there was a sea of mediocre performances.
One man, in particular, stood out for having a bit of a shocker. No surprise, given the amount of time he’s been out.
Luke Shaw was miles off it for Manchester United
Luke Shaw last started a game of football for Manchester United 434 days ago – and that was extremely apparent given his performance against Bournemouth.
Lining up in the left centre-back role, Shaw looked rather sluggish and not at all like the player that United have had for many seasons.
His poor performance was reflected in some bad stats on the day. It is somewhat remarkable he managed 90 minutes, however.
| Stat | Value |
| Tackles Won | 0/0 (0%) |
| Blocks | 1 |
| Clearances | 3 |
| Headed Clearances | 2 |
| Interceptions | 1 |
| Defensive Actions | 6 |
| Recoveries | 3 |
| Ground Duels Won | 0/2 (0%) |
| Successful Dribbles | 0 |
Ruben Amorim was confident Shaw could put in a shift and decided the centre-back role was better suited to him.
Amorim said in his pre-game interview: “He [Shaw] is going to start in the back three, but that is not a clear back three, so you will see during the game I think it is the best position for him at the moment.”
Granted, it was going to be difficult given the amount of time he’s had out, but the performance may indicate United need to let go of their longest-serving player this summer.
Does Shaw have a future at Manchester United?
United in Focus revealed, after speaking with Graeme Bailey, that Shaw is set to get another chance at Old Trafford.
However, the concern is his injuries. That being said, that will also be a concern for any potential buyers – so it’s a really difficult one.
Shaw does have the capabilities to be a superb player, but his Premier League display on Sunday didn’t do him any favours with an uncertain future already apparent.
Time will tell, but for now, Shaw remains a Manchester United player.
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