10 years ago Anthony Martial made his first ever start for Manchester United in an ill-fated Champions League against PSV. It was a game overshadowed by an upsetting moment.
After riding the high from his debut heroics from the bench against Liverpool in 2015 following his move from Monaco, Anthony Martial bore witness to a horror moment on his first start for the club.
During the Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven, Martial’s new teammate at the time, Luke Shaw was brutally injured by a tackle from Hector Moreno.
Shaw suffered a double leg fracture that looked like it could threaten his career, or at least his chances of playing at the top level.
While 10 years on, Shaw is being blasted for his performance in the Manchester derby, it is somewhat of a miracle that he is still playing for the club at all, the Red Devils’ longest serving player.
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The Luke Shaw tackle and the aftermath
Luke Shaw had to be treated on the pitch for 10 minutes in Eindhoven, given immediate relief by medics before being rushed to hospital.
Manager at the time Louis van Gaal blasted the challenge from PSV’s Hector Moreno: “I think it was a very bad tackle with two legs,” he told Sky Sports.
“It is awful. He’s a boy who came to Manchester as an 18-year-old, had a very difficult season, then second season he plays fantastic, and then this happens.”
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Speaking in 2018, Shaw revealed to The Guardian that he almost lost his leg as a consequence of the injury.
He explained: “I was really close to losing my leg but I didn’t know that until six months later when the doctor told me.
“At the time they were thinking about flying me back. But if I’d flown back, I would probably have lost my leg because of the blood clots.
“I’ve got two scars down the side of my leg where they had to cut me open and pull them out. I only found out six months later.”
Shaw explained that the mental side of the injury also had a damaging effect: “After the leg break it was a very tough time. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t sometimes thought about stopping playing football.”
Injuries have hampered Shaw during his career since, and in 2022 it was revealed that he had to undergo another operation to remove metal screws from his leg, after they were causing him discomfort.
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Hector Moreno still playing, reunited with Anthony Martial
Hector Moreno did apologise to Shaw following the incident, insistent that his challenge was without malice.
He told BBC Sport: “I just feel really bad because I was involved in the accident. I feel really sorry.
“I think I played the ball, but in this kind of situation I don’t care if it was a foul. I feel bad for him, for his family.”
Moreno is still playing football 10 years on since his brutal tackle that scythed down Luke Shaw in PSV’s 2-1 victory.
In an unexpected turn of events, Moreno now finds himself teammates with Anthony Martial, after the forward’s shock move to Mexico.
Martial was released by Manchester United in 2024, before signing with AEK Athens, and just last week he made a surprise move to Mexican club Monterrey.
Moreno, 37, has been with Monterrey since 2021 and is still a regular in their defence, with more than 130 appearances.
PSV sold him to Roma in 2017, before a spell at Real Sociedad, and Qatari side Al-Gharafa. The defender has amassed vast experience at international level, making his debut in 2007 and earning 132 caps.
Now teammates with Shaw’s former colleague Anthony Martial, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Frenchman asks to team up with Moreno in training, rather than go up against him.