Gary Neville has insisted that Erik ten Hag made a “really poor” decision regarding one “important” Manchester United player in the 2023-24 campaign.
Erik ten Hag oversaw a difficult second season at Manchester United, including his first-team squad being ravaged by injuries over the course of the campaign.
The 54-year-old Dutchman failed in his bid to secure a top-four finish for United, with the Red Devils missing out on Champions League football for next season.
United limped to a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Premier League, but the Red Devils did secure Europa League football thanks to their FA Cup triumph.
Ten Hag signed off the campaign on a high note after United sealed a sensational 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley in May.
The former Ajax boss will continue as United manager for the 2024-25 Premier League campaign after Ineos completed their end-of-season review at the club.
Neville critical of Ten Hag decision
Speaking on ITV, Gary Neville admitted that he was shocked by Erik ten Hag’s decision to play Luke Shaw in the 2-1 win over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.
Luke Shaw was forced off before half-time due to an injury and the Luton Town match in February would be his final appearance for United last season.
The 28-year-old United defender missed the rest of the Red Devils’ 2023-24 campaign, but Shaw was still named in England’s Euro 2024 squad.
“That left side has been blocked,” Neville said, as per the Metro.
“When Phil Foden comes inside, the biggest problem is we don’t have a natural left-footed left-back going outside him.
“It was the same for Manchester United all season with Marcus Rashford. Luke Shaw is such an important player for United and Rashford. We’ve [missed] that badly [at the Euros].
“I couldn’t believe he played in that game. He should never have played in that game.
“I was travelling to Luton that day thinking he was out. He had to go off and you’re thinking, ‘What’s going on there?’ It was really poor.”
Shaw missing from England’s Euro 2024 campaign
England boss Gareth Southgate took the risk to include Luke Shaw in his Three Lions squad for this summer’s Euros in Germany.
Shaw is England’s only specialist left-back at the tournament and the United star has failed to make a single appearance so far for the Three Lions.
Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier has predominantly played at left-back for England in place of Shaw, but the United defender’s absence has been felt.
Shaw has been on the bench for three of England’s four matches at the tournament, with the Three Lions star left as an unused substitute in all of the fixtures so far.
It remains unclear whether or not Gareth Southgate will be able to use the England and United left-back in the quarter-final clash against Switzerland on Saturday.