A number of Manchester United stars are away with their respective nations for the international break, but Gary Lineker thinks one player who didn’t get the call-up still has a role to play for England.
Manchester United are currently on a five-match unbeaten run and seem to have finally found their rhythm after a slow start to the Premier League season.
The Reds sit joint fifth in the table, just one point behind fourth-placed Sunderland, and although their hopes of securing a Champions League spot looked slim earlier in the campaign, optimism is now beginning to return.
There is a possibility that the international break could disrupt United’s momentum, but most of their regular starters are away representing their national teams. United will resume Premier League action on 24 November, when they host Everton.
One starter who didn’t get a call-up to represent England was Luke Shaw, who hasn’t featured in the national side since the European Championship final loss to Spain in 2024.
Lineker thinks Shaw could make the World Cup squad
Luke Shaw has thrived so far this season, playing almost every available minute as a left-sided centre-back in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation.
While speaking about Thomas Tuchel’s selection headache when it comes to picking his 26-man squad, Gary Lineker touched on Luke Shaw’s chances of making the squad, and highlighted one aspect that only he can bring to the left-back position.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, he said: “And a lot of talks [has] always been about [Jude] Bellingham and [Phil] Foden and [Marcus] Rashford coming back into the side.
“[Harry] Kane does what he does, but what he’s doing at 20 years of age, it’s like he’s not even been spoken about.
“Then you’ve got [Myles] Lewis-Skelly and you’ve got [Tino] Livramento and you’ve got, well, Luke Shaw, if you want a bit of experience.”
Shaw should be in the World Cup squad
Shaw has yet to be called up by new England boss Thomas Tuchel, but if the 30-year-old continues to impress for United, it will be difficult for the German coach to ignore him.
In England’s two November international fixtures, the side lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Serbia, and a 4-3-3 set-up against Albania, but Tuchel has also used a 3-4-3 formation before, similar to Amorim’s tactical set-up.
Shaw would provide tactical diversity to Tuchel’s side, but most crucially would provide some experience to a position with a wealth of young talent. Myles Lewis-Skelly is 19, Tino Livramento is 23, and Nico O’Reilly is 20, with a combined England cap total of 11, a far cry from Shaw’s 34 caps for his national side, with experience at major tournaments.
With Lisandro Martinez’s imminent return from injury, it’s expected that Shaw will be pushed out to left wingback in place of Diogo Dalot, and could further show to Tuchel, that he is still capable of playing as more of a traditional leftback at the highest level.
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