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In a vital victory for Manchester United over Aston Villa, concerns emerged over Luke Shaw’s condition after he was substituted at the break, having initially taken the field as left-back. Victor Lindelof stepped in as his replacement following Shaw’s withdrawal. United had the lead at this juncture, courtesy of Rasmus Hojlund’s goal in the first half.
The game’s equilibrium was disrupted when Douglas Luiz netted a goal for Villa with 67 minutes on the clock. It seemed the match might conclude in a draw until Diogo Dalot’s exceptional cross found Scott McTominay, who headed in the decisive goal.
This win was significant for Erik ten Hag’s team, but post-match, the spotlight quickly shifted to Shaw’s early exit from the game. Ten Hag addressed the concerns, emphasizing that Shaw’s substitution was a precautionary measure. “He mentioned some complaints and we can’t take a risk with, especially Luke Shaw, because he has had so many injuries in the past. We took him off so that it did not become an injury. We have to see how it develops in the coming days,” he clarified.
The manager also touched on the challenges his defensive lineup has faced, highlighting the absence of left-footed defenders like Licha Martinez and the season-long unavailability of Tyrell Malacia. “It’s not an advantage. Everyone knows my philosophy, to have Licha Martinez and Luke Shaw, two left-footed [defenders], and we also we haven’t had Tyrell Malacia available for the whole season. So all the way, all the time, we have to make compromises. And that is not in our advantage. But today we managed it, and hopefully it’s not too bad with Luke,” Ten Hag added.
