02 January 2023 , 13:30
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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has hailed “fabulous” Luke Shaw for adapting to his new-found centre-back role.
Left-back Shaw has shown his versatility in United's last two game s by moving across into central defence to partner Raphael Varane. Ten Hag was forced to deploy Shaw as a centre-back after Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire were sidelined by illness and with Lisandro Martinez unavailable following Argentina's World Cup triumph.
Shaw proved a revelation in the role, with United keeping clean sheets in both games and Ten Hag admitting the success of the experiment has given him another option in defence.
“We have seen the last two games he has been fabulous,” said Ten Hag. “He has impressed but, of course, we also know he's really good as a left full-back.
“It’s an extra option and that’s always good for a team. Of course, you have your ideas and a plan, but sometimes it changes by circumstances like the illnesses for Harry and Victor.
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“Normally, they start in the games we have just played, but then Casemiro did well as a centre-half against Burnley and then Luke did very well against Nottingham Forest. Also you look at the game plan, the way we had to approach Wolves, and I thought it was the best match with Rapha and Luke.
Luke Shaw has been filling in at centre back for Manchester United (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)“Especially as we knew the speed of Wolves from the right side and we could cover that because we wanted to attack over the left side with our offensive game from Tyrrell Malacia. That was a good fit and also in possession you can have better angles with the left foot.”
Shaw was so impressive in his first outing at centre-half, in United's 3-0 win over Forest, Ten Hag kept faith with him there at Wolves, despite Maguire and Lindelof being available on the bench.
United host Bournemouth on Tuesday night, with Ten Hag claiming his side – who are on a 14-game unbeaten run in all competitions – have their focus back after he questioned it.
Reflecting on United's 1-0 win at Wolves, which came courtesy of a late Marcus Rashford goal, Ten Hag said he addressed his side's lack of focus at half-time at Molineux.
“I think I already solved it at half-time,” said Ten Hag. “In the second-half I saw a different approach.There was more investment, more focus, more aggression. We had better organisation in the second-half and created more chances. The win was well deserved.”
Shaw could continue at centre-back against the Cherries, although Martinez is back in training, while Scott McTominay and Diogo Dalot, who also missed the Wolves win, could return to the squad.
On Martinez and McTominay, Ten Hag said: “We have to see. Both were training yesterday and today. I’m quite optimistic that they can both return to the squad.
“Diogo Dalot also made good progress. We don’t want to take risks with anyone because we know there are many games to come and we need a full squad to cover all the games.”