Manchester United’s recent slip-ups have invited Liverpool back into the top-four race.
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Luke Shaw has admitted the Manchester United dressing room are fuming with themselves for reopening the Premier League’s top four race. Defeat at Brighton in midweek, which came in the 99th minute, means the competition for the final Champions League spot may now go down to the final day of the season.
The Red Devils boast a four-point advantage on fifth-placed Liverpool and also have a game in hand over their north west rivals. But they go to West Ham this weekend with the Hammers in desperate need of victory to assure themselves of Premier League football next season. Meanwhile the Reds are on a five-match winning streak.
United’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham last month when they had led 2-0, on top of the loss to Brighton, means they have squandered the chance to wrap up their top-four spot already. Had Erik ten Hag’s team won both matches – and they had the chances to – they could have travelled to West Ham with a top-four spot already secured.
And Shaw, who conceded the penalty from which Brighton scored the winner on Thursday night, admits the United players are angry at allowing their lead to shorten. The left-back declared that frank discussions will be held as the Red Devils look to regroup.
He said: “We have to be honest. I think that’s even more disappointing [that we’ve let Liverpool back into it]. It was extremely comfortable for us at one point.
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Man Utd dressing room furious as Luke Shaw calls for honest talks ahead of West Ham (Image: GETTY)
“But the way we have been playing and the results we have had, we’ve now got dragged back into a fight that we didn’t want to be in. We have to refocus. We have to get ready because West Ham are fighting for their lives. It’s a massive game.”
On giving away the penalty with a handball, Shaw said: “It’s deflated in there and everyone knows how I feel. I’m disappointed with myself because I’ve cost us a point. It’s still in our hands, with our lead and game in hand.
“But we have got to move on from this. That’s what the Premier League is. There’s definitely no easy games. Every one is tough. The games we’ve got are against teams fighting for their lives. It’s not easy. But we need points and quick. We have to start that on Sunday.”
Man Utd dressing room furious as Luke Shaw calls for honest talks ahead of West Ham (Image: GETTY)
West Ham have lost their last three Premier League games but have held Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea all to draws at the London Stadium this season. And Shaw, 27, says United are aware of the threat their opponents will pose in a rare 7pm Sunday kick-off.
The England international: “They’re a team with really good players and they have good momentum. We know how good their crowd is and, with the situation they’re in, they’ll be fired up and will get the team fired up.
“That’s the occasion we have to be ready for – and we have to play the game, not the occasion.” United are expected to have the same squad for the clash against the Seagulls with Shaw likely to start as a left-sided centre-back once again
