Why Luke Shaw Isn’t Playing for Man Utd vs. Man City-Premier League

For the first time in 476 days, Manchester United named a Premier League starting XI which did not include Luke Shaw. If Michael Carrick is to be believed, it will not be a long absence.

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The once injury riddled fullback became a beacon of consistency last term, taking full advantage of United’s dramatically reduced schedule to maintain his availability for each of the 38 top-flight fixtures. Shaw had dutifully started United’s first three games of the new campaign before hobbling out of last weekend’s 2–2 draw at Everton with a muscular complaint.

Carrick opted against risking his only senior natural left back for Thursday’s Champions League showdown with Azerbaijan minnows Sabah FK. With United heavy favorites and Sunday’s Manchester derby rapidly approaching on the horizon, it was a decision viewed without any major fears.

“It’s a little bit of that [managing him],” Carrick told TNT Sports in midweek. “He came off the other day [at Everton] with a little bit of cramp. We didn’t want to take any risks really. We tried to manage him.”

Shaw did not recovered in time, although Carrick was optimistic about his swift return. “Luke is not quite ready yet,” the United boss revealed to Sky Sports on Sunday, “but he is very close.”

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Man Utd Confirmed Lineup vs. Man City

Starting XI: Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martínez, Patrick Dorgu; Kobbie Mainoo, Youri Tielemans; Bryan Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford; Matheus Cunha.

Substitutes: Karl Darlow (GK), Ayden Heaven, Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Andrey Santos, Noussair Mazraoui, Shea Lacey, Benjamin Šeško.

Read more Why Luke Shaw Isn’t Playing for Man Utd vs. Man City-Premier League

Patrick Dorgu was the player tasked with filling in for Shaw against City. The versatile Denmark international was originally signed by Ruben Amorim as a left wingback but has enjoyed his best performances under Carrick at left wing. With Marcus Rashford restored to the frontline, Dorgu has been nudged back into defense.

This setup fared well enough for United against Sabah in midweek, with Dorgu teeing up Matheus Cunha’s opening goal during an impressive performance. However, the 21-year-old will surely have a harder time containing the likes of Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo than Kaheem Parris, Sabah’s 26-year-old right winger who hasn’t been picked by Jamaica for three years.

Left back has already been a problem position for United this season. Hull City actively targeted the space vacated by Shaw when he pushed forward from fullback in the first game of the new campaign, wreaking havoc in an entirely deserved 2–0 win.

City boast considerably more attacking firepower than the Championship playoff winners, with one of the recurring themes of Enzo Maresca’s first few weeks in the job being a focus on wing play. Only two clubs have created more chances through crosses this season than the Cityzens, who can target an aerially dominant Erling Haaland as well as a cluster of onrushing box-crashers.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Luke Shaw Isn’t Playing for Man Utd vs. Man City-Premier League.

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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 8:07 AM.