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Jose Mourinho Explains Why He Took Luke Shaw Off At Half Time

Jose Mourinho Explains Why He Took Luke Shaw Off At Half Time

Many fans believe that the substitution could mark the end of the player's Manchester United career.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Luke Shaw's career hit an all time low on Saturday evening when Jose Mourinho decided to take him off after just 45 minutes of Manchester United's game against Brighton in the FA Cup. The Red Devils manager explained exactly why after the match.

On the plus side for Luke Shaw he only had to endure 45 minutes of being berated by his manager. The United left-back, playing on the far side to Mourinho, was the player subjected to the most shouting from Mourinho in the first half.

United were far from their best in the early going, or in the late going for that matter, but it did seem rather harsh to many that Shaw was the once mainly being shouted at.

Unfortunately Shaw will have to go down as a United 'flop':

Those voices only grew more sympathetic at the start of the second half when Shaw was taken off and replaced by Ashley Young. The former winger turned full back then set up Nemanja Matic for United's second of the game.

That was some vindication for Mourinho. Perhaps feeling the need to further vindicate his decision he revealed why he'd subbed off the 22 year old saying:

"My reason behind them is that we work on the pitch a certain kind of movements which were really important the two full-backs to be aggressive and to be always in front and create space for Matic and Scott to play in front of the two central defenders and I didn't have that with Luke and Antonio Valencia.

"I didn't change both because was too aggressive to do it and then I have only one more change for 90 minutes and only if we go to extra-time I have the possibility of a fourth change, but to play with 45 minutes only with one more substitution to do was too aggressive, but to try to improve our offensive football and to be more aggressive I had to change one of them.

"And I decide Luke because at least Antonio defensively was capable of some good positionings like in one of their more dangerous movements in the second-half where Locadia made a diagonal run inside behind Eric Bailly, and Antonio is still capable like this. And Luke every time they went in his corridor the cross was coming and the dangerous situation was coming, so I was not happy with the performance."

Shaw hasn't had much football this season. Image: PA Images
Shaw hasn't had much football this season. Image: PA Images

So it seems that Shaw wasn't the only full-back that the former Chelsea boss wasn't happy with but clearly he displeased the manager more than Antonio Valencia did.

What was harsh on Shaw is the fact it was only his first start since the FA Cup tie against Huddersfield in February and Valencia had played badly in the loss to Sevilla in midweek.

It seems very much like the former Southampton man's time at Old Trafford is up.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Jose Mourinho, Manchester United, FA Cup, Luke Shaw, Brighton