Manchester United had a miserable return to the Champions League group stage on Tuesday evening, as they lost 2-1 away at PSV Eindhoven and saw left-back Luke Shaw suffer a major injury.
The defender endured a troubled campaign last term, making only 16 appearances in the Premier League as injury severely affected his progress at Old Trafford.
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So far this season, he has featured five times in the EPL, contributing one assist and beginning to look like he might have been getting back to his best.
However, any momentum was curtailed on Tuesday, as Shaw was stretchered off following a tackle from PSV’s Mexican centre-back Hector Moreno.
The incident, which came in the 24th minute, ended the left-back’s evening, with the former Southampton player requiring oxygen as he was stretchered off, to be replaced with Marcos Rojo.
Louis van Gaal’s dismay was visible as the defender was replaced with injury, both due to the horror of Shaw’s complaint and perhaps as he recognised that he would be without one of his key defenders for much of the season.
The moment Van Gaal heard the extent of Luke Shaw’s injury. Devastated to say the least. pic.twitter.com/iwZ6MYq0RX
— Man Utd Videos ?? (@ManUtdVines) September 15, 2015
The news has clearly hit the United dressing room hard, with several players taking to Twitter after the match to share their best wishes with Shaw and to commiserate with their teammate at the return of his injury misfortune.
Defeat hurts, but @LukeShaw23‘s injury hurts even more. We hope you come back even stronger!
— David De Gea (@D_DeGea) September 15, 2015
My thoughts and prayers are with @LukeShaw23 Hoping for a quick recovery and to be playing alongside him again as soon as possible!
— Chris Smalling (@ChrisSmalling) September 15, 2015
While the injury is desperate news for van Gaal and United, it also represents a considerable blow for England, who may have to do without their first-choice left-back at next summer’s European Championships.