Sir Jim Ratcliffe has sent a tongue-in-cheek message to Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw ahead of Sunday’s Euro 2024 final, as England prepare to take on Spain in Berlin.
Shaw could make his first competitive start since February 18 and line up for the Three Lions, having come on as a substitute in the last two matches. He appeared as a second-half substitute in the quarter-final penalty shootout success over Switzerland, before coming on at half-time in the 2-1 win against Netherlands on Wednesday.
He has made a valuable contribution in both of those victories and there has been calls for Shaw to come into the starting XI ahead of Kieran Trippier against Spain. If he was named in Gareth Southgate’s XI, it would mark Shaw’s first start since suffering a muscle problem in United’s 2-1 win at Luton earlier this year.
Regardless of whether Shaw does start, new United co-owner Ratcliffe had a humorous message to Shaw over his injury record going into England’s do-or-die final against Spain. Speaking to BBC Sport, Ratcliffe, 71, said: “All the very best on Sunday, and I sincerely hope you are successful.”
He added: “Luke, please don’t pull your hamstring again.”
It’s a brutal message from Ratcliffe, who will be hoping Shaw can stay injury-free and enjoy a better season at the Red Devils next term. Shaw missed 34 games last campaign and his season was derailed by a hamstring injury in February – just when he had managed a few months of consistent football.
Last month, Shaw opened up on his struggles with injury and detailed who he felt was to blame. He said: I felt something against Aston Villa and came off at half-time. I didn’t train the whole week and when the scan came back, there wasn’t too much there.
“I then trained the day before the game (at Luton) – and if the manager asks me to play, I’m never going to say ‘no.’ But I shouldn’t have played. It’s kind of everyone’s fault. Partly my fault, partly the medical staff. I think everyone would admit that.”
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