Luke Shaw was left out of Manchester United's squad against Sabah FA just over an hour before kick-off at Old Trafford, but Michael Carrick said it was only an extra recovery day. Carrick said Shaw had come off the other day with a little bit of cramp and that United did not want to take any risks.
Carrick's explanation
"We just gave him an extra recovery day so we'll see by tomorrow how he is, but it's not an ongoing thing or a plan," Carrick said. The message was not a warning sign, and it did not sound like the kind of absence that should send United into panic mode.
Shaw has made only 3 appearances this season, with 252 minutes in those games. His most recent league outing lasted 89 minutes, so United are dealing with a player who has already had his load managed carefully.
United's week ahead
United made three changes from the 2-2 draw with Everton at the weekend, and the schedule is crowded enough to make caution understandable. They are 16th in the current Premier League table, and Manchester City visit Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon after the Sabah game.
Carrick also said, "It's a balanced view, that's why we've got the squad. We need to adapt to certain strengths and different ways of playing." That fits the decision here. Shaw's omission looks more like routine management than a fresh problem, and the only firm update is that he will be seen again by tomorrow before United turn to City.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
