Luke Shaw needs to raise his game to get Man Utd action - Jose Mourinho

21 February 2017 08:09

Jose Mourinho says Luke Shaw needs to raise his game unless he wants to remain Manchester United's fourth-choice left-back.

Having missed the majority of last season following a horrific double leg break, the 21-year-old's comeback campaign has been disrupted by niggles and an inability to win over his manager.

Despite being fit since mid-January, Shaw has only appeared in the FA Cup fourth round win against Wigan - and was left out of the next four squads.

The left-back was an unused substitute at Blackburn on Sunday and conspicuous by his absence in France, having been overlooked for the 20-man squad despite training on the eve of the game.

Shaw's omission for the Europa League last-32 second leg at St Etienne raises further questions about the England international's future, but Mourinho pointed to Henrikh Mkhitaryan's rise as inspiration.

"He [Shaw] stayed behind in Manchester because I am playing with Daley Blind, with Marcos Rojo, with Matteo Darmian and all of them are playing the way I like a full-back to play," the United boss said.

"Luke has to wait for his chance, he has to work better and better, knowing that I give nothing for free.

"When I give something to the players, it's expensive for them. It's not cheap, it's expensive.

"They have to work really hard every day. Really hard every day. They have to play well, so he has to wait.

"In this moment, he is behind the others."

Asked if he is getting towards the left-back he wants, Mourinho said: "Potentially he has many things that I like.

"But one thing is potential, another thing is on the pitch to express all the qualities that I like a player to express.

"And he has to keep working, like Mkhitaryan did for a long time."

Source: PA