Phil Jones has sung the praises of one Manchester United star who has recently returned to good form under Rúben Amorim.
Since Ruben Amorim joined Manchester United, much has been made of the uniqueness of his system and the drastic change in style from Erik ten Hag that the players have had to adapt to.
No position emphasises the change more than the new roles given to the two wide centre-backs in the back three.
Not only do they have to cover the wide areas when the wing-backs push up, but they need to be able to be aggressive enough to close down players high up in the midfield areas.
United are now four games unbeaten and in a rich vein of form. With the same back three being used in three of the four games, Amorim seems to have found the profile of player he wants in his settled backline.
Jones feels Shaw is back to his best
Over the last 12 months, Luke Shaw has at times struggled to maintain a consistent run in the team, whether due to recurring injuries or a lack of form.
However, Shaw has now found himself fit and starting consistently again for United as the left centre-back in the back three alongside Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro. This has also coincided with the recent unbeaten run the club has found itself on.
Despite being a left-back by trade, Shaw has utilised his experience to showcase a new and more nuanced technical side of his game, bringing much-needed balance to a team that struggled with chaos last season.
Former Man United defender Phil Jones has highlighted his former teammate’s return and what he has brought to the side, especially against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
Speaking on the Inside Carrington podcast, he said: “He looks so much… so assured, comfortable. I always think Luke’s at his best when he sort of cruises through the game and, you know, against Forest at the weekend, I thought he defended terrifically in the box.
“When the ball was in the box, he was tight; he made the blocks when he had to. He reads the game well, but when the ball gets transferred from one side to the other, he steps in so well, and he’s almost playing left-back at left-centre-back.
“And the way he drives forward, he commits players, he’s really come into his own, he’s finding that position really well.”
Shaw has evolved his skillset
As a left-back, the Englishman was known for his attacking prowess, particularly with his underlapping and overlapping runs, which made him a constant feature in the side at both club and international levels.
Now, as a centre-back, he has shown a new defensive side to him that was not often associated with him. As Jones said, he sniffs out danger as good as any of United’s defenders, and most importantly, he has grown as a leader in the side, often marshalling the back-line.
His return to his best has given another much-needed boost to Amorim. As Shaw has become settled on the left-hand side, it means the manager can ease in Lisandro Martinez, who has recently returned to the side following a relapse of his ACL injury.
Being able to ease Martinez back will also benefit Shaw. If Amorim can rotate the two of them and keep them both away from injuries, then the strength in depth at the back would be at its strongest for a while.
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