Phil Haigh
Published December 3, 2025 9:43am
Updated December 3, 2025 9:43am
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Gary Neville had stern words for Luke Shaw during a recent defeat (Picture: Getty Images)
Manchester United hero Denis Irwin has hailed the ‘brilliant’ Luke Shaw, after Gary Neville hit out at the defender last month.
The 30-year-old has been a fixture in Ruben Amorim’s side this season, starting every game in the Premier League so far.
With 13 top flight appearances this campaign, he has already turned out more than he did in either of the previous two seasons as injuries kept him out of the side.
The 34-cap England international came in for some scathing criticism from Neville during a recent defeat to Everton, with the Sky Sports pundit blasting Shaw’s ‘ambling’ as a ‘waste of time’.
However, Irwin, who won seven Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United, has defended Shaw, believing he has been excelling on the left of a back three, especially in the win over Crystal Palace at the weekend.
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‘He has been blighted with injuries, Luke, but I’ve got to say every manager, when he is fit, has picked him,’ Irwin said on the Inside Carrington podcast.
‘He has started every Premier League game this season so that tells you that Ruben is definitely backing him. He was brilliant [against Palace] and his recovery in a couple of tackles was needed by the way and particularly in the first half.
Luke Shaw has maintained fitness so far this season (Picture: Getty Images)
‘It suits him to play in that left centre-half. We know he can play the wing-back role, but relating it myself, I would have been more comfortable in that left centre-back role rather than being a wing-back. He has been fantastic for us this season.’
Gary Neville vents Shaw frustrations
Neville’s frustration with Shaw came in the 1-0 defeat to the Toffees, which saw Manchester United play with an extra man for most of the game after Idrissa Gueye’s early red card.
The former Red Devils captain could not believe that Shaw was not getting forward more, with his team behind and with a numerical advantage.
Denis Irwin knows plenty about playing at the back for Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images)
‘You’ve still got Yoro, Shaw and De Ligt largely playing behind the ball,’ Neville said on Sky Sports during the game. ‘Shaw is starting to move forward a little bit, but he’s ambling forward, let’s be clear.
‘He’s been bugging me for the last 20 minutes. Look at him.’
He added: ‘You can’t do that. You should be running forward every single time, I don’t care.
‘Yoro, I have more sympathy with because he’s not as comfortable on the ball, but Shaw shouldn’t be playing there.
‘It’s a waste of time, I don’t care. Honestly, what he’s doing there, you’re not conning anybody.’
Shaw has made 300 appearances for the Red Devils (Picture: Getty Images)
Ruben Amorim backs ‘world-class’ Shaw
Amorim spoke out on Shaw’s behalf at the start of the season after two very difficult campaigns, confirming that the ‘world-class’ player would be firmly in his plans as long as he is fit.
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‘Luke Shaw is a world-class player. That is my feeling,’ said Amorim. ‘You can feel it in the small things; when he touches the ball, the ability to play one against one.
‘England had two finals. He had issues during the season, but in the final he is always there. That means something.
‘But he needs to be fit. He needs to train at the limit, which is what he is doing at the moment.
‘He is a great player and I am really pleased with him.’
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