Unai Emery’s praise for Luke Shaw under Erik ten Hag does not even scratch the surface of the Manchester United star’s threat under Michael Carrick for the Aston Villa match.
During the 2023-24 Premier League season, Unai Emery’s men hosted Manchester United at Villa Park in February 2024 after losing 3-2 at Old Trafford in 2023.
United would come out on top against Villa in the Premier League encounter, with Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay both scoring in the 2-1 win at Villa Park.
Luke Shaw started the Premier League match and played the entire first half before the 30-year-old England ace was hooked off for Victor Lindelof after the break.
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Richarlison battles for possession with Luke Shaw during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2025 in London, England.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
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Patrick Dorgu celebrates with his teammates during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle United.
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Unai Emery’s feelings around Luke Shaw came at a time when the Man Utd and England star was not even at his best
Speaking ahead of Aston Villa’s 2024 defeat to Manchester United, Unai Emery singled out the “very dangerous” role Luke Shaw played in the defensive set-up.
“Luke Shaw is very dangerous,” he began, before paying tribute to the way United moved the ball from the back.
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“Their centre-backs like to play, building up and controlling ball possession, trying to get good combinations on the pitch,” he explained at his pre-match press conference, as per Manchester United’s official website.
Shaw has often been labelled as a ‘world-class’ left-back and the United and England star’s talents have been evident when he has been fit for the Red Devils.
The keyword is ‘fit,’ as Shaw’s injury-plagued career since his infamous double fracture in his right leg against PSV Eindhoven in 2015 has forever haunted him.
Emery’s comments came during a season in which Shaw struggled badly.
However, the tide has dramatically turned for Man Utd ace Shaw in the 2025-26 season after his time under Ruben Amorim, Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick.
Shaw has enjoyed an almost ‘fitness miracle’ chapter in his United playing spell, with the England star starting all 29 Premier League matches for the Red Devils.
Whether it has been as a left-sided centre-back for Ruben Amorim or left-back under Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick, Shaw has been reliable and consistent so far.
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Michael Carrick instructs his players during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James’ Park in 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Luke Shaw’s Man Utd run of form comes with his improvement under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford
Shaw saw his time limited in Man Utd’s 2-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace this month due to illness, but it was not enough to sideline him for the next match.
The England star has enjoyed a relatively serious injury-free season and Shaw’s form has been coupled with his growing influence on the pitch for Carrick’s men.
According to the Premier League’s official website, Shaw has notched up an impressive 87 per cent pass completion rate with 1,393 passes from 29 matches.
Comparing the aforementioned 2025-26 season stats with the 2024-25 campaign, StatMuse claims Shaw’s pass completion percentage stood at 88.6 per cent.
However, the major detail was that Shaw only made 248 passes in total after being reduced to only seven Premier League appearances due to injuries.
Now, with a consistent run of Premier League matches under his belt, Shaw’s passing is more of a serious threat to Aston Villa compared with past injury-hit seasons.
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