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Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw has played down talk of the Red Devils being in the title picture after they beat Manchester City 2-1 in the Manchester derby on Saturday (January 14). The victory has taken them to within eight points of league leaders Arsenal.
Shaw shone for Manchester United in the derby win over City as a makeshift centre-back. It's a role manager Erik Ten Hag has used the English left-back in, where he has thrived.
Erik ten Hag's side are in impressive form, unbeaten since losing 3-1 to Aston Villa on November 6. They next face Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday (January 22), where they can make a statement to bolster their title credentials.
The excitement builds over the Red Devils potentially being in the title race. However, Shaw has said that it's too early to consider talk of a title challenge. He told the Athletic:
“It’s too early to think about that. Right now as a team, we have to make sure we have the right consistency in performances and results."
Shaw continued by alluding to the side's winning form despite not playing their best football:
“It’s always about winning. If you play well or not, you need to be winning, and recently we’ve been doing that. We’ve not been playing our best, but we’ve still been winning games."
Manchester United are the only English side still in four competitions: the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Shaw would love to win all four competitions but noted that it's down to how Ten Hag's men perform for the rest of the campaign:
“We’re still in four competitions. We’re Manchester United; we have to forget about this win, and aim high, and of course, we want to win all four, but whether that happens or not is down to us, it’s down to the way we act, the way we rest and get ready for the next game."
The Red Devils have 38 points from 18 games and are only behind third-placed Newcastle United on goal difference.
Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho will undergo more individual training before returning
Sancho spent the 2022 FIFA World Cup break in the Netherlands, undergoing individual training as he struggled for form and confidence this season. The English attacker has scored just three goals and provided one assist in 13 games across competitions.
He returned to Carrington in early January, with Ten Hag admitting he was wary about reintroducing Sancho into the first-team fold:
"Football players aren't robots. He is back in Carrington, and that shows he is making progress, and he is ready for the next step. I would like to have Jadon back as soon as possible. But some processes you can't force - and this is one of them".
Sancho was at Old Trafford for United's derby victory and took pictures with fans wearing a smile on his face, which has been a rarity during his time with the Red Devils.
According to the Express, he will undergo more individual training till he's deemed ready to return to action. He will then be slowly integrated into the first team for the remainder of the campaign.
The young forward joined Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 for £73 million. He has made 52 appearances, scoring eight goals and contributing four assists.
