Shaw's training absence adds left-back headache to United's Champions League eve

Luke Shaw sat out Manchester United’s training session on Wednesday, the day before their Champions League opener against Sabah FK, leaving manager Michael Carrick to manage expectations around the club’s only senior left-back.

Carrick was quick to downplay alarm, describing Shaw’s absence as a precautionary recovery day rather than a fresh injury concern. “We just gave him an extra recovery day today,” the United manager said. “We’ll see by tomorrow how he is, but it’s not an ongoing thing or a plan or anything like that. It was just off the back of the game the other day.”

Shaw’s availability remains uncertain for the Sabah fixture, with 19-year-old academy product Harry Amass taking part in training in his place. Noussair Mazraoui is also an option to fill the left-back role if Shaw is rested.

The situation underlines a vulnerability United carried into the season after failing to sign a recognised left-back during the summer window. The club made an approach for Newcastle’s Lewis Hall but were turned away, while late loan bids for Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde and Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri both fell through.

Shaw started all 38 Premier League games last season, but the heavier workload of a Champions League campaign was always expected to test his availability. His patchy injury history makes the squad’s lack of cover in that position a recurring concern.

Meanwhile, Matthijs de Ligt was also absent from Wednesday’s session, though Carrick offered an encouraging update on the Dutch defender’s progress. De Ligt has not featured since late November and underwent back surgery in May, but Carrick indicated the final stages of his return are being handled carefully.

“Matta has trained really well,” Carrick said. “I think when you’re out for such a long period of time and you get right to the final stages, you’ve got to manage that last stage. We’ve got to get that balance right for when to take the next step. But he’s on a good track, he’s in a good place, and hopefully it’ll be sometime soon.”

Marcus Rashford, who was substituted early in the recent match against Everton, did train on Wednesday and appears in contention. Fellow absentees Amad and Manuel Ugarte were again not involved.