Manchester United full-back Luke Shaw has had a tough start to the season (Picture: Getty Images) Luke Shaw has come in for criticism already this season but Manchester United legend Gary Pallister has urged patience with the defender. The 31-year-old remains the Red Devils’ first choice left-back, with the club surprisingly not adding to their options in that position over the summer. The England international has started all three Premier League games so far this campaign under Michael Carrick and has come under fire for parts of his performances. Wayne Rooney called for Shaw to be dropped after opening weekend defeat to Hull City, having accused him of ‘schoolboy defending’ in the 2-0 loss. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro's football newsletter Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free. Former United left-back Patrice Evra said Shaw’s ‘time has gone’ at the club, while Paul Scholes urged the Red Devils to sign Newcastle’s Lewis Hall to replace him. The former Southampton full-back did look decent going forward against Everton, providing an assist in the 2-2 draw on Sunday and Pallister feels he deserves patience. The 61-year-old, who won four Premier League titles with Manchester United reckons that after 300 appearances for the club and a good season last time round, Shaw has plenty of credit in the bank. Shaw is into his 13th season as a Manchester United player (Picture: REUTERS) ‘I know there’s a lot being made about Luke Shaw at the moment,’ Pallister told Betarades. ‘He’s not had a great pre-season and probably not a great start to the season, but he was one of our better players last year. ‘So I would still have a little bit more patience with Luke. He’s played at left-back for United, for a long, long time. So I’d give him a bit more time before I really start panicking with that one.’ The former centre-back accepted that Manchester United’s defence has not been up to scratch in the first three league games, conceding six goals. Shaw does not have much competition at left-back (Picture: Getty Images) Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez started at Everton at the weekend and Pallister feels Leny Yoro or Ayden Heaven could return to the side. ‘We can’t keep conceding these goals,’ he said. ‘It’s not always just about looking at the defence. You’re looking at the people in front as well. The midfielders have got to give you that kind of protection. Are United getting that, that balance right? I don’t know. ‘It’s something that I’m sure Michael is very well aware of. He spoke after the Everton game about the amount of goals that the team is conceding which puts them on the back foot. He’s not going to be able to address that in terms of transfers because the window’s passed. So we’ve got to crack on with what we’ve got. ‘Whether he mixes it up, brings Ayden back in, or he brings Leny back in, we shall wait and see, but United as a team have got to be a lot better equipped to deal with the opposition.’ Carrick’s team is back in action on Thursday in the Champions League against Azerbaijani side Sabah. Shaw did not train on Wednesday, with Carrick explaining: ‘Yeah, we just gave him an extra recovery day today, Luke. ‘So, obviously, we’ll see tomorrow how he is but it’s not an ongoing thing or planning like that. Off the back of the game the other day, as normal, each individual has different little things we manage and Luke was one of them today.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Champions League fixture against Sabah at Old Trafford (kick-off 20:00 BST). Defender Luke Shaw has been given an extra recovery day and they will know by Thursday whether he will be in the squad. Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt has trained well and is "on good track" to make a return soon but United have to "get the balance right" for the next steps.
Tottenham's wait for a first Premier League win and goal in 2026-27 stretches into the fourth game, with a tough test against Everton next. The post First win will boost Spurs’ confidence in final third, claims De Zerbi appeared first on SoccerNews.
Martin Odegaard has impressed Paul Merson in Arsenal’s first three matches (Picture: Sky Sports) Paul Merson has heaped praise on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard following the side’s derby victory over Chelsea, claiming the midfielder is looking like a ‘new £100million signing’ this season. Odegaard had a largely underwhelming season by his standards last term, managing just one goal while chipping in with six assists across Arsenal’s title-winning campaign. It represented a major drop-off in return when compared to Odegaard’s second and third years with the Gunners, when he provided a significant goal threat and was twice named Arsenal’s Player of the Season. However, Odegaard has hit the ground running this term, scoring Arsenal’s third goal in the Community Shield before finding the net versus both Coventry City and Chelsea in the Premier League. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro's football newsletter Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free. The 27-year-old ran the show in Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea and came away with the man-of-the-match award after completing an impressive 24 line-breaking passes as well as scoring the winner at the Emirates. He will no doubt be looking to pick up where he left off this evening when the English champions kick off their Champions League group-stage campaign away to Napoli. ‘I think if Odegaard got injured then Arsenal would get by, but he is back to what he was two years ago,’ Merson said of the Norwegian’s lightning start to the new season on Sky Sports News. Odegaard has flown out of the blocks this season (Picture: Getty) The Gunners have won three from three in the Premier League (Picture: PA) ‘If he can keep on playing like he’s been playing, that’s like a £100m new signing for Arsenal. ‘Over the last couple of years, his standards haven’t been good enough but the goal against Chelsea, they’re the goals you put up there for goal of the season. ‘The dummy by Kai Havertz and the finish by Odegaard… that’s football.’ {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Mikel Arteta speaks before Champions League match against Napoli","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/09\/08\/3761798954835882587\/480x270_MP4_3761798954835882587.mp4","description":"Arsenal's Mikel speaks to the press on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League match against Napoli on Wednesday at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.","duration":"T1M34S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/09\/08\/22\/111127717-0-image-m-34_1788904072537.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-09-08T22:46:27+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Merson believes Arsenal have to be considered among the favourites to win this year’s Champions League after being beaten by PSG in last season’s final. But the ex-Arsenal and England midfielder fears the club’s failure to make a ‘superstar’ addition me to their attack may cost them come the business end of Europe’s premier competition. Asked if Arsenal’s fanbase would prefer to win the Premier League or the Champions League this season, Merson replied: ‘Now they’ve won the Premier League after a long, long time, I think it would probably be the Champions League. ‘I don’t want to talk on behalf of everybody else but there’s a song th
Referee Chris Kavanagh was correct not to award a penalty to Everton at Bournemouth, the Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has said. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall went down inside the area after a collision with James Hill in the 55th minute, with the referee waving away the Toffees' spot-kick claims. The KMI Panel unanimously supported the decisions of Kavanagh and the video assistant referee, John Brooks.
Avellino president Angelo D'Agostino has insisted that the club will soon decide whether to sign former Everton star James Rodriguez. The post Serie B Side’s President To Decide On Signing Former Everton Star Soon appeared first on Inside Futbol | Latest Football News, Transfer Rumours & Articles.
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