Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag drops worrying Luke Shaw injury update after Aston Villa win | Football | Sport

The 28-year-old started his fourth successive game at left-back against Villa after returning from a five-week absence in the 4-2 win at Newport County on January 28.

But Ten Hag was forced to replace Shaw with centre-back Victor Lindelof at the break, which contributed to an uncomfortable second half against Unai Emery’s dangerous side.

Scott McTominay netted an 86th-minute winner off the bench to add to Rasmus Hojlund’s early opener after Douglas Luiz fired the hosts level after the restart.

Shaw’s early substitution left a sour note on a momentous triumph, though, which was Ten Hag’s first away win from home against a top-nine outfit.

After full-time, the Dutchman confirmed that he took Shaw off as a precaution due to « some complaints » that weren’t worth risking.

« [Shaw came off as a] precaution. He had some complaints, and we can’t take any risks with him because he’s had many injuries in the past, » Ten Hag told Sky Sports.

« We’ll have to see how it goes in the next few days. It’s not an advantage to lose him. Everyone knows my philosophy to have left-footers at left centre-back and left-back.

« Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw are both left-footed, and we also haven’t had Tyrell Malacia for the whole season.

« So for the whole time, we have had to make compromises, and it is not to our advantage. But today, we managed it, and hopefully, it’s not too bad with Luke. »

Ten Hag openly admitted that his system couldn’t fully thrive without left-footed players to balance United in the build-up. But Shaw, Martinez, and Malacia’s absences leave him with no such options.