Luke Shaw to Miss Manchester United’s Champions League Opener
Luke Shaw is expected to sit out Manchester United’s Champions League opener against Sabah on Thursday, sharpening the focus on a position the club failed to reinforce in the summer.
The 31-year-old was absent from United’s final session on Wednesday morning, a day designated for recovery and rest after Sunday’s draining 2-2 draw at Everton. His omission comes at a delicate moment in the schedule: United host Manchester City on Sunday, and City already hold a two-day advantage in preparation after their win over Porto on Tuesday night.
Carrick’s Call Under the Microscope
Shaw was withdrawn in the 91st minute at Goodison Park with United 2-1 up, only for Ainsley Maitland-Niles to level in the 95th minute. The late change fed directly into the post-match inquest.
Head coach Michael Carrick’s decision to reshuffle his back line in stoppage time was questioned by former United captain Gary Neville, who highlighted the risks of disrupting a defensive unit in the dying moments of a tight game.
Right back Diogo Dalot had already been replaced by centre back Leny Yoro in the closing stages at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, another move that tilted United into a more makeshift shape as Everton pushed for an equaliser.
When Shaw went off, Noussair Mazraoui moved across to cover at left back. It was Mazraoui who inadvertently diverted the ball into Maitland-Niles’ path for the late leveller, a moment that underlined both the fragility of United’s game management and the thinness of their options on that flank.
Summer Gamble Exposed
United’s current predicament at left back is not a surprise inside the club. They tried to address it in the last transfer window but ran into brick walls and big price tags.
Interest in Newcastle’s Lewis Hall was rebuffed, with United receiving short shrift in their attempts to prise him away. Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly was also offered to United, but the club walked away when the asking price climbed beyond £50million.
The result is a squad built on a single senior, specialist left back. Shaw stands alone in that role.
Behind him, 19-year-old Harry Amass is the only natural back-up. His situation underlines the gamble even more starkly. Amass has not played for United since May 2025 and spent last season on loan in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City. His campaign was cut short by a hamstring injury at Norwich in January, and he has not played since.
That leaves Carrick leaning on versatility and hope. Mazraoui can fill in on the left. Others can shuffle across. None of it changes the basic reality: United go into Europe and then a derby against City with their only senior left back sidelined and a patched-up plan in a position that has already cost them once this week.
With the games and stakes rising, how long can that hold?
