Luke Shaw a late fitness call for Manchester United’s derby with Manchester City
Luke Shaw will be assessed late before Manchester United’s Premier League meeting with Manchester City on Sunday after the 31-year-old was left out of the squad for Thursday’s 4-0 Champions League win over Sabah FK.
Why Shaw’s fitness matters before the derby
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Manchester United v Manchester City | Sunday |
| Shaw’s most recent appearance | Withdrawn in the 2-2 draw with Everton |
| Latest United result | 4-0 win over Sabah FK |
| League position | United 11th, four points |
| Carrick’s opening managerial record | 12 wins in 17 matches |
Michael Carrick said United chose not to take a chance on Shaw in the midweek European fixture because the left-back had not fully recovered. The manager will monitor him during the next few days before deciding whether he can be involved against City.
“We need to see how he comes through it,” Carrick said. “We protected him a little because he was not completely ready for Sabah, so there was no reason to risk him. We will judge it over the next couple of days.”
The derby comes with United trying to build momentum after an uneven opening to the league season. They have lost to Hull City, beaten Ipswich Town and drawn with Everton, leaving them 11th on four points. City, by contrast, have won all of their opening fixtures and sit level with champions Arsenal at the top.
Carrick returns to the fixture that began his reign
Sunday’s contest also revisits Carrick’s first game in charge following his appointment as interim manager in January, when he replaced Ruben Amorim. United ended a run of four matches without a victory by beating Pep Guardiola’s side, with Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu scoring.
Carrick does not believe that result offers a blueprint for the latest meeting. He stressed that each match brings different circumstances, although he feels the confidence developed by his squad over time can help in a major fixture.
“No two games are the same,” he said. “We cannot think that because we won last year, everything will happen in the same way. We have grown in confidence and feel we are improving, and that is important. It is a huge and significant game, but we are excited for it. Recovery and preparation time is short, so we have to use it well.”
His early impact—12 victories from his first 17 games—was enough to secure the permanent post at Old Trafford. There had been suggestions that the INEOS leadership could pursue an established external candidate in the summer, but Carrick said his work had always been framed around United’s longer-term direction rather than a short caretaker spell.
He added that planning for the future began from his first day in charge, even though he could not be certain how long he would remain in the position. Carrick said every decision was intended to move the club towards its intended level over the longer term.
Shaw decision remains pending
United’s final squad decision will depend on Shaw’s response to treatment and training in the build-up to Sunday’s derby.
