Sport

Shaw breaks leg in United's opening night defeat to PSV

Manchester United's Luke Shaw is left in agony after he broke his leg in two places during Tuesday night's Champions League game against PSV<br />Picture: PA
Manchester United's Luke Shaw is left in agony after he broke his leg in two places during Tuesday night's Champions League game against PSV
Picture: PA
Manchester United's Luke Shaw is left in agony after he broke his leg in two places during Tuesday night's Champions League game against PSV
Picture: PA

LUKE SHAW was left in tears after breaking his leg in two places during Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to PSV, but manager Louis van Gaal believes the left-back could still play again this season.

Shaw was the victim of an ugly two-footed challenge from Hector Moreno in the 15th minute of United's Champions League group stage loss in Eindhoven. The 20-year-old was left in agony on the turf at the Philips Stadion following the tackle - which went unpunished - and he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher while receiving oxygen.

Van Gaal looked visibly upset when he tapped the England defender on the shoulder as he was taken away down the tunnel to hospital. And after the match, the United boss was upset by events in his homeland.

"He has a double leg fracture," Van Gaal said.

"He is in hospital. He will be transferred [to England] tomorrow with us or maybe a day later and then operated on in Manchester. It is awful. He was crying." 

Van Gaal was clearly unhappy with the challenge, but refused to condemn the Mexican defender, who played for him at AZ.

"If I say it is a penalty and a red card, I am a bad loser, every word is interpreted in the wrong way," he said.

"But it was a very bad tackle with two legs."

PSV coach Phillip Cocu defended Moreno.

"The intention was not to injure the opponent," he said.

Shaw took to Twitter to thank the fans who had wished him a speedy recovery.

Shaw said: "Thank you everyone for your messages, words can't describe how gutted I am, my road to recovery starts now, I will come back stronger."

Van Gaal hopes that road to recovery is not a long one. At first sight, it seemed certain Shaw's season - and his chances of playing in the European Championship next summer - were over. But Van Gaal still harbours hope the England international will play again this season.

"I am not a doctor, so I cannot say that, but when you have a double fracture it is, I think, until six months," he added.

"It is about how it develops. You can never say that in advance. He will not play in the group phase, I think. I hope he can play again this season." 

It was a wretched night on the whole for Van Gaal, whose terrible run at the Philips Stadion continued. The former Ajax and AZ coach won twice in 10 attempts during his coaching career in Holland - now he has tasted defeat there on his first Champions League group stage outing with United.

United took the lead thanks to an exquisite solo goal from PSV old boy Memphis Depay, but the hosts hit back through Moreno, who headed in a corner after losing Matteo Darmian in the box. After the restart, Luciano Narsingh headed in after drifting away from Shaw's replacement Marcos Rojo in the box.

Juan Mata, Depay and surprise starter Anthony Martial were all guilty of spurning opportunities during the Group B match in Holland.

"We can only blame ourselves because we have created so many chances," Van Gaal said.

"Today, we could have scored much more than that, but PSV were very effective because they scored out of nothing."