Former Manchester United defєɴԀer Wes Brown has been singing the praises of current Red Devils star Luke Shaw.
If there is a former Manchester United full-back who knows a thing or two about switching to centre-back, it is Wes Brown.
Brown first broke thɾօυɢҺ as a right-back at Manchester United, but with Gary Neville blocking his path to regular football, many of his best performances for the club came as a centre-back.
This past season we have seenLuke Shawfill in at centre-back, with real success, showing he can be a reliable option in a back two, and not just in a makeshift three-man defence as seen previously.
Luke Shaw has been ‘unbelievable’
MUTV pundit Wes Brown has told theclub websitehow impressed he has been by Luke Shaw’s performances.
He said: “We know him as an excellent left-back but he’s been unbelievable [at centre-back].
“As a full-back, you’d probably only play there a few times until the other defєɴԀers all come back [from ιɴjυɾу]. But because Luke has played so well, he’s been, pretty much, the next-choice centre-back.
“I’m not sure if he played there as a kid, but he just seems to read the game very well. He’s good in the air, his positioning is good and getting better after a few games.”
Brown raises a good point, that Shaw has become a trusted option under Erik ten Hag, who he would prefer to utilise over club captain Harry Maguire.
It has been this selection preference, more than anything, which has really underlined how far down Maguire is in the pecking order at Old Trafford.
Two games in particular stand out, at home to City and away at Barcelona, two huge fixtures, where Shaw was selected as a starter at centre-back.
With Tyrell Malacia providing competition at left-back, and even Diogo Dalot, United have the adaptability to shift Shaw around. Promising youngster Alvaro Fernandez could stake his claim for the left-back spot in pre-season too.
Brown adds that Shaw will even have surprised managerErik ten Hagwith his performances.
He said: “He reads the ball so well, he’s winning balls even before the striker gets a touch. So he’s been absolutely excellent and that’s why the gaffer has kept him in. It’s as simple as that and he probably wasn’t even thinking of doing that. But when you do that well, you know that’s an option.”
Erik teg Hag utilised former United defєɴԀer Daley Blind in a similar manner at Ajax, often alternating him between full-back and centre-back, and Shaw can expect more of the same next season.
The England ace signed a new contract earlier this year, and as he approaches his 10th season as a Manchester United player, his future looks particularly bright.
