Man United defender’s poor performance is a huge cause of concern – opinion | OneFootball

Witnessing Luke Shaw’s return to the starting lineup after a prolonged injury layoff was a moment filled with hope.

However, the 1-1 draw against Bournemouth served as a stark reminder of the challenges that persist within our squad, particularly in defense.

Shaw, making his first start since the Euro 2024 final, was expected to bring stability and experience to our backline.

Yet, the match unfolded differently. Deployed at left center-back, Shaw appeared off the pace, struggling to keep up with Bournemouth’s pacey attackers.

His lack of match fitness was evident, and he failed to make a significant defensive impact.​

The defender failed to win a single tackle against Bournemouth while he also could not win a single ground duel against Andoni Iraola’s side, as per FOTMOB.

The defensive woes weren’t limited to Shaw alone. The entire backline seemed disjointed, lacking coordination and resilience.

Bournemouth capitalised on our defensive lapses, with Antoine Semenyo opening the scoring after a series of errors in our build-up play.

Despite being reduced to ten men following Evanilson’s red card in the 70th minute, Bournemouth continued to pose threats, exposing our vulnerabilities at the back.

Man United continue to struggle in all areas of the pitch

Luke Shaw in action for Man United. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

While Rasmus Hojlund’s stoppage-time equaliser salvaged a point, the overall performance was far from convincing.

The draw leaves us languishing in 14th place, a position unbefitting of United’s stature.

It’s evident that the issues plaguing our defense are systemic and require urgent attention.

Shaw’s return, albeit underwhelming, shouldn’t be the focal point of criticism.

After such a lengthy absence, expecting him to perform at his peak was unrealistic.

The broader concern lies in our squad depth and the lack of adequate cover in defensive positions.

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