Luke Shaw Hopeful This Is 'My Season' at Manchester United

Luke Shaw is hopeful the 2018-19 campaign will finally be his time to nail down the starting left-back spot at Manchester United under Jose Mourinho after he scored in the club's season opener against Leicester City on Friday. 

The Englishman credited a pre-season trip to Dubai for his fitness and said he was motivated in the summer by not being at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, per Premier League Productions (h/t Ciaran Kelly of the Manchester Evening News): 

"Mentally, over the summer, it was quite hard. I really wanted to be at the World Cup, and it pushed me on even more during pre-season. Back in the second season with [Louis] van Gaal, I did a trip to Dubai and came back feeling really good. It's similar to this time. I did it again. I've come back really fit, ready to go, and I think this is my season hopefully."

Shaw, 23, signed for United from Southampton in 2014 and impressed under Van Gaal at the start of the 2015-16 campaign before breaking his leg in September in a UEFA Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven.

By the time he was fit again Mourinho was in charge, and Shaw has struggled to impress the Portuguese manager in the last two seasons.

Last term Ashley Young was the starting left-back at Old Trafford, and Shaw was handed just eight Premier League starts.

However, he was included in the starting XI for Friday's season-opener against the Foxes and impressed in United's 2-1 victory at Old Trafford, per football analyst David O'Brien:

He will need to string together numerous good performances if he is to retain his starting spot as Young will be back in contention soon. The former Aston Villa man only recently returned from his post-World Cup break.

Young is now 33, though, and Shaw has a huge opportunity to prove himself as the long-term starter on the left of defence.

The last few seasons have been difficult for Shaw, and he was clearly ecstatic to contribute against the Foxes:

One decent performance will not be enough to convince Mourinho that Shaw is his man at left-back. But he is regaining his confidence, which can only be a good thing for United.