Manchester United’s young left-back Luke Shaw is closing in on a return to first-team action after spending over six months on the sidelines due to a double-fracture in his right leg.
The former Southampton defender showed great promise at the start of the season for the Red Devils, but suffered a major injury setback in September in United’s 2-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
Fortunately for Louis van Gaal, the 20-year-old has recovered well from that setback and is now poised to return to action before the end of the season. The 20-year-old recently expressed his eagerness to make his comeback through social media site Twitter.
Nice time in Dubai , back to work now. Can’t wait???
— Luke Shaw (@LukeShaw23) 29 March 2016
Van Gaal backs youngster to make FA Cup final
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will be relieved to have Shaw back in the mix, with his full-back options limited by the injury crisis the Red Devils suffered midway through the season.
The Dutchman is optimistic about the return of Luke Shaw, as well as that of captain Wayne Rooney and winger Ashley Young.
“As I said to Luke Shaw, Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young, you can still play the final,” said Van Gaal after United’s draw against West Ham in the FA Cup quarter-finals, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Huge boost for the Red Devils as the season reaches its climax
Luke Shaw was very impressive at the beginning of the season for Manchester United. The left-back has the ideal combination of pace, strength and trickery to be a constant threat on the left wing. The England international is also a very solid defender, particularly in one-on-one situations.
Van Gaal has had a selection problem ever since Shaw was sidelined, being forced to change his full-backs as further injury troubles exacerbated the situation. The former Bayern Munich manager has been forced to use several players in the left-back position this season, including Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian. The return of his first choice will be a big boost as the Red Devils seek to end the season on a high note.
