In Seville, Luke Shaw was scheduled to speak with Manchester United correspondents. However, he was pleased to discuss their recent victory that has kept their season alive through June.
Despite enduring a mentally and physically demanding two-hour match, Shaw appeared relaxed when he entered the Wembley mixed zone. He had not started a game in 18 days, and his return from a muscular strain midweek was a challenging 45 minutes in the noisy Estadio Ramon-Sanchez Pizjuan.
Furthermore, with three recognized center-backs absent due to injury and suspension, Shaw returned to the center-back position. He has started there seven times before, and the team has yet to lose a match. Many United supporters believe that Shaw was an improvement over club captain Harry Maguire during their match against Brighton.
Luke Shaw’s Manchester United career has been eventful and occasionally tumultuous, but this season has been the most fulfilling. Barring any fitness issues, he will undoubtedly start in the all-Manchester final on June 3.
During United’s previous FA Cup final appearance five years ago, Shaw was noticeably absent from the matchday squad despite being fit. He emphasized that players should never take anything for granted.
In order to play under the current manager, Luke Shaw emphasized that players must maintain high standards in every aspect of their performance. Even in situations where injuries or suspensions have created opportunities, failure to meet expectations can result in not playing.
Despite this, Shaw does not take anything for granted and understands that the latter half of the season is when winning is crucial. The team is committed to putting forth their best efforts in order to win the upcoming trophy.
Shaw acknowledged that playing at center-back is not easy, especially in a two-man setup as opposed to a three-man setup. However, he enjoys playing in this position and had time to prepare for it with the manager’s guidance. Against tricky opponents, Shaw sometimes had to remain in the center of the pitch in order to follow their movements.
Luke Shaw expressed his love for playing football, even in new positions such as center-back. However, his priority was to secure a victory in their recent match.
Shaw is poised to start in his third Wembley final in two years. During the European Championship final shootout, he was in line to take a penalty when Marcus Rashford missed by a slim margin. Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was so enormous he blocked out the floodlights, managed to deflect Jadon Sancho’s shot.
Unfortunately, both Sancho and Rashford were subjected to heinous racist abuse online. However, almost two years later, they calmly converted their penalties during the latest final.
Shaw provided some reassurance to Sancho, reminding him that regardless of what happened, confidence is essential in football. These things happen, but it is crucial to remain focused and continue moving forward.
Luke Shaw praised the confidence of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho in stepping up to take their penalties during the recent match. He acknowledged that they may have had concerns regarding the racist abuse they received during the previous European Championship final.
Shaw was pleased with their success, and expressed his own relief in winning a penalty shootout for the first time. He recalled being on the losing end of two previous shootouts, including the 2021 Europa League and Euros finals with United and England.
In their match against Brighton, United’s mental resilience was put to the test by a formidable opponent. The match was decided by Solly March’s nerve-wracking shot after Wout Weghorst’s teasing of the ball in sudden death.
Less than three days after Erik ten Hag criticized his team’s commitment and blamed them for disappointing their fans, Manchester United’s mental toughness came into play and helped them secure another penalty shootout win against AS Roma.
Ten Hag acknowledged that he saw the United he knew in this match, unlike their last encounter. “That’s exactly what he said,” confirmed Shaw when asked about United’s character. “He said that’s a team out there today and he wasn’t sure who or what was there on Thursday night. But obviously that wasn’t acceptable.”
Shaw believes the win doesn’t fix everything, but it does put them in a good position to finish the season well, considering that qualifying for the Champions League is a top priority. The upcoming Manchester derby in the FA Cup final is also an exciting game for them.
He emphasized that this week was the most important week of the season for them, with the Europa League match against Roma and the match against Manchester City in the FA Cup final. The results from these games could define their season.
“If we get knocked out of both, then you’re right about the season looking different. But I think today was a massive game and a great opportunity to get into another final against a very good side. It’s one that I think everyone is looking forward to being involved in,” said Shaw.
During the Newcastle game three weeks ago, Shaw expressed his frustration with always having to say the same things after a loss. The Seville performance was also disappointing, with Ten Hag comparing it to other poor showings against Brentford, Manchester City, and Liverpool.
Despite some bookmakers making Brighton the favorites, United were only two players short of their strongest XI. Although they were still not at their best, they were at least recognizable as a team three days after their defeat in Seville.
