The news that Luke Shaw will be returning to training with Manchester United next week was met with resounding joy from Manchester United fans everywhere, as after enjoying a very bright start to the season he has been sorely missed since his leg was broken in a clash away to PSV Eindhoven back in October.
Shaw's absence has caused United far more problems than losing a 20-year-old left back should, as his pace in defence, ability to bomb forward, and balance that he brought to the side have been glaringly detrimental to Louis Van Gaal's plans.
In particular, the form of Memphis Depay and Matteo Darmian (the former playing ahead of Shaw on the left wing and the latter mirroring Shaw's endeavour on the right flank) suffered after Shaw's leg-break, so many had hoped that his enthusiasm would be restored to the United line-up in time for the run-in to the end of the season, but that now appears to not be the case.
Furthermore, if Shaw had any hopes of making Roy Hodgson's England squad, then they will surely have been checked by Van Gaal's comments ahead of this weekend's meeting with Everton:
Luke Shaw next week shall start the first training sessions on the pitch. He has always been in the pool, in the gym, on the treadmill. Now he can train with his body on the pitch but Luke knows it will be very difficult to play the final of the FA Cup.
The FA Cup final is due to take place on May 21st, after the conclusion of the Premier League season, although considering Manchester United are yet to secure their passage to the semi-finals as they await a replay with West Ham, all Manchester United players should know how difficult it will be to play the final of the FA Cup.
Van Gaal then suggested that Wayne Rooney is nearing a return to first-team action, but Bastian Schweinsteiger is done for the season and is a doubt for Euro 2016.
Wayne is doing great but you cannot say that he can play next week. He has trained, a lot of skills today on the pitch with the ball for the first time but at a lower level, but that is very good. He will probably play an Under-21s match before he comes back.
Schweinsteiger is, of course, a tragic injury because the expectation is not so good for him in relation to the European Championships, but you never know.
It's been a very difficult season for Schweinsteiger, and with Shaw being carefully eased back into the picture, it was not the injury update that Man United fans were hoping for.
