Carrick admits undroppable Man Utd defender is in a 'good place', poised to start vs Palace today

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has heaped praise on Luke Shaw for his outstanding commitment and consistency this season.

Shaw stands alone as the only United player to have started every Premier League match in the current campaign.

It is a remarkable achievement for the England international, particularly given his well-documented injury struggles in recent years.

Carrick spoke warmly about Shaw during his pre-match press conference ahead of today’s clash with Crystal Palace.

He said (via ManUtd.com): “He is in a good place Luke, experience helps managing a load, managing your body and he has put a good run of games together.

“I think that in itself is probably underestimated you know and game to game and be fit for the next game but actually to be able to do that over a long period of time sometimes takes some adjusting.

“He has been good for a long time Luke and especially this season to have that consistency shows how much experience has helped him.”

Luke Shaw set to start vs Palace

The 30-year-old has been a reliable defender for United this campaign.

For years, Shaw was viewed as a player whose immense potential was repeatedly stalled by injuries.

Yet this term, he has silenced those doubts by staying fit and making himself available week after week.

His availability has been pivotal for the Red Devils.

Earlier in the campaign, he seamlessly slotted in as a left centre-back under former manager Ruben Amorim while Lisandro Martinez recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Since Carrick took charge, Shaw has returned to his natural left-back role and continued to deliver consistent performances.

Despite his impressive durability this season, INEOS are still expected to strengthen the left-back position in the summer window.

A lighter fixture schedule without midweek European commitments has undoubtedly helped Shaw maintain peak fitness.

One of the key reasons why Shaw has been fit this season is the lack of midweek games.

With United set to qualify for European competition next season, the club needs another left-back who can share minutes with Shaw.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .