Manchester United’s Luke Shaw has suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf injury, ruling him out of the club’s opening three Premier League fixtures. The 29-year-old sustained the injury during pre-season training and will now miss United’s home matches against Fulham and Liverpool, as well as their trip to Brighton.
Shaw’s absence is a blow to United manager Erik ten Hag, who is already without several key players due to injury. The left-back has been a regular for United since joining from Southampton in 2014, making over 200 appearances for the club.
The injury also casts doubt over Shaw’s availability for England’s upcoming Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland. Shaw was selected in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the tournament despite carrying a hamstring injury, but he was unable to play until the quarter-final against Switzerland.
Shaw’s injury is the latest in a long line of setbacks for United, who have been plagued by injuries in recent seasons. The club has already lost Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho to injury, while Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are also doubtful for the start of the season.
Ten Hag will be hoping that Shaw can return to action as soon as possible, as the left-back is a key part of his plans for the new season. United are looking to improve on their sixth-place finish last season, and Shaw’s experience and quality will be vital if they are to challenge for the title.
