Luke Shaw Reportedly Upset with Jose Mourinho's Manchester United Criticism

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw is said to be upset with his manager, Jose Mourinho, after the Portuguese publicly criticised the full-back. 

The former Chelsea boss took aim at the young left-back after the Red Devils lost 3-1 to Watford on Sunday, suggesting Shaw could have done more to stop Camilo Zuniga’s second goal, per Adam Crafton of the Daily Mail. According to Matt Hughes of the Times, it’s not criticism the player has taken particularly well.

It’s suggested the former Southampton man “feels that he would benefit more from private instruction from the Manchester United manager, rather than being made a scapegoat" for the loss.

According to Hughes, Shaw took to the field for the clash at Vicarage Road despite carrying a groin problem.

John Percy of the Daily Telegraph has suggested the defender faces three weeks on the sidelines as a result of the knock. With that in mind, it’s stated senior players at United are “surprised” the 21-year-old was singled out in the aftermath of the loss.

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Mourinho spoke of how the England international failed to close down the space between himself and Nordin Amrabat prior to the Hornets taking the lead for the second time in the match.

“Our left-back is 25 metres distance from him, instead of five metres,” said the Portuguese, per Crafton. “But even at 25 metres, then you have to jump and go press. But no, we wait.”

Of course, every action Mourinho takes has been placed under intense scrutiny after the Red Devils suffered three defeats in eight days.

As noted by former United star Gary Neville, after a solid start to the campaign, the tide has quickly turned against the ex-Real Madrid boss:

There were always going to be early expectations for Mourinho to meet. He’s a character who attracts so much focus, has almost guaranteed success at every club he’s been at and has spent a lot of money in the summer, luring players such as Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Eric Bailly to Old Trafford. 

A sequence of poor results like the ones endured as of late was always going to trigger widespread criticism, and perhaps the singling out of Shaw is a byproduct of the pressure Mourinho is feeling at the moment.

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After all, if any player in the United squad deserves patience, it’s Shaw. The youngster has only recently returned from a leg break, having sat out the majority of last season; finding his absolute best form again will take a long time, while, at 21, he’s a defender who still has a lot to learn about the game.

Indeed, Bleacher Report’s Rob Blanchette feels as though Mourinho’s ire could be better directed elsewhere:

The fact Shaw was carrying a knock on Sunday makes the public dressing down of him all the more peculiar, and it’s little surprise the player is annoyed. Nevertheless, Mourinho has proved himself to be a master motivator down the years; perhaps this will be another mind game that’ll push the youngster to an even higher level.

United fans will be concerned by the goings on this week and the subsequent reports of discontent. But a new ethos and new personalities will take a while to blend at Old Trafford.