Patrice Evra believes Manchester United need to recruit a new left-back and has questioned whether Luke Shaw still has a long-term future at the club.
Shaw played in all 38 Premier League matches last season, but former Manchester United defender Evra says the England international’s injury history and lack of consistency have become major concerns.
Speaking during a live broadcast, Evra also criticised Manchester United’s performance against Hull City, describing it as one of the worst starts he had seen from the club.
“Manchester United’s match against Hull City was one of the worst starts for Manchester United I have ever seen. We didn’t even start that badly last season.
“Everyone must understand that Manchester United was facing a newly promoted team with no pressure and nothing to fear. If you are not focused enough, this match was never going to be easy. People will laugh at Harry Maguire (hugging teammates), but sometimes you freeze on the pitch when defending. I won’t laugh at him because I wasn’t on the pitch at the time.
“What really disappointed me was that there were too many back passes in that match for Manchester United.”
Evra said Shaw’s repeated injuries had affected both his career and his confidence in challenges, despite his affection for the player.
“Shaw, I love you, but this will be a tough season for him. Why? He has been at the club for many years and has suffered numerous injuries that have damaged his career. When I talk to him, I can feel that these injuries have left psychological scars, and he won’t commit fully in every tackle.”
The former France international then gave a blunt assessment of Shaw’s prospects at Old Trafford, while acknowledging that the defender could still produce a strong display in the club’s next match.
“I have to be honest. Manchester United fans want to hear my opinion, and I think Luke Shaw’s time is over. Don’t get me wrong, he might have an excellent performance in the next game, but that doesn’t change anything. For me, if Luke Shaw can play 35 full games, that would be a good season. I don’t care if he has 10 good performances and 3 bad ones; if he can’t consistently play at least 35 games, Manchester United fans will be frustrated. He is fortunate because he is English.”
Evra argued that Manchester United require a dependable option in the position, adding that Diogo Dalot should not be viewed as a natural left-back.
“I love Luke Shaw, but I love Manchester United more, which is why I think they need another left-back. Dalot is not a left-back; he is a left-winger.”
Asked whether Lewis Hall could provide the answer, Evra said the player’s reliability would make him an appealing option. Hall had conceded a penalty against Liverpool, but Evra said that incident would not outweigh his ability to complete matches regularly.
“That’s what I want to see. Hall is an excellent player, and we are talking about consistency. He gave away a penalty against Liverpool, but I don’t care. He can guarantee playing 90 minutes, and that’s exactly the left-back Manchester United needs.”
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