Shaw: We have to question ourselves

Skip to Main NavigationSkip to content

Luke Shaw says introspection is required for him and his team-mates to get the root of Manchester United’s challenging run of form and struggles in front of goal.

The Reds battled for long periods of our latest contest away to West Ham, but were undone by a quickfire double inside the final 20 minutes – as goals from Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta condemned us to a 2-0 defeat in the capital.

Erik ten Hag’s men have now failed to net in our last four games and Shaw suggested our lack of a finishing touch could be down to both diminishing confidence and not being clinical enough when chances do come our way. However, the left-back stressed that the Reds must remain positive, as we look to turn things around.

“It’s tough to kind of think what’s going on,” our no.23 told TNT Sports.

“I think maybe we’re just not creating enough and then when we do, on the other hand, we’re not clinical. I think maybe it could be a lack of confidence at the moment, sometimes that’s normal in football, it happens.

“But we have to keep staying positive, we have another big game coming up against Aston Villa, so we can’t feel sorry for ourselves, we have to pick ourselves up and go again. It’s a home game and we can’t keep dropping points, we have to win games.

“This is Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world and it’s not good enough, what we’re doing, and the results that are coming, and we know that. We have to dig deep, we have to look ourselves in the mirror and question ourselves and go from there really.”

After looking the better side for much of the first half – in which United had their best opportunity of the game through Alejandro Garnacho – Shaw was particularly disappointed with our drop-off in performance after the half-time interval.

“It’s just not good enough really, we have to win games and that’s it. We keep losing games, losing points and we’re making it very hard for ourselves – especially that second half, it’s not good enough.

“First half, we controlled the game, I think we had chances again. If we score the first goal, maybe the result is different, but we don’t, so we suffered in that second half and, again, it’s not good enough.”

The West Ham goals came in quick succession, Bowen profiting from a fine Paqueta pass before Kudus doubled the advantage barely five minutes later.

“The pass was an unbelievable pass and obviously he [Bowen] got a bit of luck with the rebound and that’s that,” Shaw continued.

“But the second goal, okay, it’s a mistake, but that doesn’t matter. From the start of the second half, we were not the same as the first half, and it showed and that’s why we’ve lost three points again.”