Luke Shaw Set to Miss Champions League Opener for Manchester United

Luke Shaw is expected to sit out Manchester United’s Champions League opener against Sabah on Thursday, leaving Michael Carrick’s side exposed in a position they failed to reinforce in the summer.

Shaw, 31, was absent from United’s final session at Carrington on Wednesday morning, a day designated for recovery and rest. With a derby against Manchester City looming on Sunday – and City already enjoying a two-day head start in recovery after beating Porto on Tuesday – Carrick is being forced into a delicate balancing act.

Substitution storm after late Everton collapse

Shaw’s situation comes on the back of a chaotic finish at Everton on Sunday. United led 2-1 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium when Carrick turned to his bench in stoppage time. Shaw was withdrawn in the 91st minute, with United seemingly in control.

Four minutes later, Ainsley Maitland-Niles struck in the 95th minute to snatch a point for Everton and ignite a debate that has rumbled on all week.

Carrick’s late defensive reshuffle drew sharp criticism, not least from former United captain Gary Neville, who questioned the logic of disrupting the back line so deep into stoppage time. Right back Diogo Dalot also made way, replaced by centre back Leny Yoro as United tried to see the game out.

The changes backfired. Noussair Mazraoui, shifted to left back after Shaw’s withdrawal, inadvertently diverted the ball into Maitland-Niles’ path in the build-up to the equaliser, underlining just how fragile United look when Shaw is not on the pitch.

Summer window misfire leaves United short

That fragility is no accident. United went into the summer determined to bring in competition and cover at left back, but the window closed with Shaw still the only senior specialist in the role.

Newcastle quickly shut down United’s interest in Lewis Hall, offering little encouragement in negotiations and effectively ending that pursuit before it had a chance to develop.

Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly was later offered to United, but the asking price – upwards of £50million – made the club walk away. The decision left Carrick relying on Shaw and a teenager still finding his feet in the senior game.

Nineteen-year-old Harry Amass is the only other recognised left back in the squad. He has not played for United since May 2025 and spent last season on loan in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City.

His campaign was cut short in January by a hamstring injury at Norwich. He has not played since, and throwing him straight into a European tie or a Manchester derby would represent a major gamble.

Selection headache before Sabah and City

So Carrick now faces a harsh reality. With Shaw set to sit out the Sabah clash and City arriving at Old Trafford on Sunday, United’s left flank is once again a problem area at precisely the wrong moment.

Mazraoui can operate on that side and is the most likely stopgap, despite his unfortunate role in the Everton equaliser. The alternative is to improvise again, reshaping the defence around centre backs and right-footers, and hoping the structure holds.

United wanted a new left back in the summer. They did not get one. Now, with the Champions League underway and a derby on the horizon, that decision is no longer theoretical. It is on the team sheet.