Why Shaw Did Not Travel

Jose Mourinho has admitted Luke Shaw possesses qualities that he admires in a full-back, although the Manchester United manager has stated the young defender must continue to work hard and wait for his opportunity to impress.

Shaw was omitted from the Reds' 20-man squad that flew to France on Tuesday afternoon for the Europa League Round of 32 second-leg tie against Saint-Etienne. During a press conference to preview that Wednesday night encounter, one reporter quizzed the boss on the reasons why Shaw did not travel.

“He stayed behind in Manchester because I'm playing with Daley Blind, with Marcos Rojo, with Matteo Darmian, and all of them are playing the way I like a full-back to play,” Mourinho explained.

“Luke has to wait for his chance and work better and better, knowing I give nothing for free. When I give something to the players, it's expensive for them - it's not cheap. They have to work hard every day, they have to play well, so he has to wait. And, at this moment, he's behind the others.”

Asked to expand on Shaw’s development, Mourinho was quick to say he admires the left-back’s potential and claimed Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a perfect example for him to follow, given that the Armenian is now a regular starter after taking time to settle earlier in the season.

“Potentially, he has many things that I like but one thing is potentially, another thing is on the pitch to express all the qualities that I like a player to express,” the manager said at the media briefing. “And he has to keep working, like Mkhitaryan did for a long time.”