Luke Shaw has not featured for Manchester United this season (Picture: Getty)
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has suffered another setback in his recovery from the injury that has seen him miss every game so far this season.
Shaw’s last appearance for United came in February last season before the left-back picked up a hamstring injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season.
The 29-year-old recovered in time to make three appearances for England at last summer’s European Championship, including the final against Spain, but saw his pre-season hampered by a fresh calf problem.
Shaw’s return was initially earmarked for after the September date but that has been consistently pushed back due to complications with his recovery.
And speaking in his final press conference prior to his sacking on Monday, Erik ten Hag revealed that the defender had encountered another setback in his quest to reach full fitness.
‘The process is not going as we expected, that’s the truth,’ Ten Hag said after the defeat to West Ham on Sunday.
‘The setback, if you want to call it like this, we want also to do it very careful. When he is now dropping again, we want to be very careful.
Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy will be without Luke Shaw (Reuters)
‘We know his past. We have to do this right, because we want him to be available because he will have a big impact on our performances and on our levels.
‘We can’t have it that he is playing for some games and then drops out again. So we do it very carefully.’
While interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy was not expecting to have the Englishman available for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Leicester City, the news will be a blow for Ruben Amorim who is widely expected to be named as Ten Hag’s permanent successor.
Amorim is said to be keen on the move, with reports from Portuguese outlet A Bola suggesting United club executives have flown to Lisbon to tie up a deal.
There is even a hope that the 39-year-old could be in the dugout at Old Trafford for the visit of Chelsea on Sunday.
In Shaw’s continued absence, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot are expected to continue deputising at left-back.
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