By Jack Gallagher
Luke Shaw has admitted playing centre-back for Manchester United is “not easy” following the club’s semi-final triumph against Brighton in the FA Cup.
The natural left-back was called up to play at the heart of the Red Devils defense following injuries to Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, as well as Harry Maguire’s home suspension.
Having played the role a few times already this season, Shaw looked extremely comfortable alongside Victor Lindelof in central defense in the eventual victory on penalties at Wembley Stadium, helping to hold off an impressive Brighton attacking line-up for over 120 minutes.
Despite appearing natural in the role, speaking to the press after the game, Shaw admitted to finding changing positions a challenge, stating: “Obviously it’s not easy [playing at centre-back]. If it was in a three, it’s a little different. But when it’s two, it’s very different, to be honest.
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“But every time I play there, I really enjoy it and we obviously had a couple of days [to prepare]. The coach told me about it and Victor obviously because against a team like this they are very smart, very tactical [information]. Sometimes I had to stand in the middle of the field to follow them.
“So it’s something new, but I love playing there, I love playing football. Winning today was the most important thing.”
Shaw could be moved back to left-back on Thursday night when Harry Maguire returns from his one-match suspension for the Tottenham Hotspur clash.
Luke Shaw’s 2022/23 season
Alongside goalkeeper Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw has been unquestionably one of Manchester United’s best and most consistent performers under Erik ten Hag this season.
The defender has been a crucial part of the new manager’s plans so far, playing 39 games for the club in all competitions and regularly showcasing top-class performances.
LISTEN NOW
In this edition of The Promised Land, part of the 90 Minutes podcast network, Scott Saunders & Rob Blanchette discuss Man Utd’s progress to the FA Cup Final after a shoot-out win against Brighton, and Thursday’s crucial Premier League trip to Spurs. If you can’t see this embed, click Here to listen to the podcast!
This article was originally posted on 90min.com as Luke Shaw admits new Man Utd role is ‘not easy’.
