OUT-OF-FAVOUR left-back Luke Shaw has vowed to stay at Manchester United and prove manager Jose Mourinho wrong, though he admitted the criticism has been hard to take.
Mourinho has been publicly scathing of Shaw, questioning his professionalism after leaving the defender out of the squad for the goalless Premier League draw against West Brom on Saturday.
Shaw was a second-half substitute as United drew 1-1 with Everton on Tuesday, Mourinho later saying the 21-year-old was “using his body with my brain”.
Despite the ongoing scrutiny amid questions over his future, Shaw is desperate to stake his claim at Old Trafford and force his way back into the starting XI.
“With the stuff that has been going on it is hard for me to take because deep down that is not me as a person,” he said.
“Like Jose said, he wants to see me fighting – and I will fight to the last second because I want to be here for the club. I want to play for the manager and I want to help this team get back to the top.
“I am working really hard at the moment, especially now more than ever. I am going through a phase where everything sort of is going against me, but I want this so badly, I want to prove everyone wrong.
I have missed being on the pitch so much. I am loving it here at United, the fans are incredible and have been incredible the last couple of days for obviously what has been going on. But I am keeping my head up and I am going to fight to the last. I am not going to give up.
“The fans have been so good to me and, like I said, especially the last sort of two days. That’s why I love them. It is easy for them to see those comments and turn on me, do you know what I mean?
“But the passion they have always shown to me is amazing and something I don’t and won’t forget for a long time because it means a lot to me. I don’t want to let them down and I’ll fight for each and every one of the fans as well.”
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