Manchester United's defender Luke Shaw has experienced a setback in his injury recovery.
Shaw had been dealing with a calf injury sustained just before the commencement of the Premier League season, preventing him from playing for United so far this season.
The 29-year-old was anticipated to be back in action following the September international break, but this return was postponed, with a new target set for after the October international break.
However, Shaw continues to be absent from the pitch, and after Manchester United's loss to West Ham, then-manager Erik ten Hag disclosed that Shaw's rehabilitation was not progressing as anticipated and that an incorrect approach had led to the setback.
"The truth is, the process isn't unfolding as we had hoped," said Ten Hag, who was dismissed by Manchester United on Monday.
"The setback, if we can describe it that way, occurred because we've made mistakes in the process. We need to be cautious now that he's regressed, as we've taken the wrong steps."
"We must proceed with caution. We're aware of his injury history. It's crucial that we handle this correctly, as we want him to be available for us, knowing he can significantly contribute to our performance and standards."
"We cannot afford to have him play a few matches and then be sidelined again. Therefore, we're handling this with great care."
Manchester United, who are set to face Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, broadcasted live on Sky Sports, currently have seven players sidelined by injuries. Ten Hag stated last Friday that these absences were impeding his team's progress.
They struggled with injuries last season as well, and the recurrence of this issue prompted Ten Hag to call for collective solutions across the club.
"Indeed, these injuries are hindering our performance and league standing," Ten Hag remarked last week.
"When key players are unavailable, we can't field our best team, and that's what's currently holding us back. We need more players on the field more consistently."
"We must all work together on this—players, coaching staff, and other personnel—to improve and have more players available. We've shown in the past few months that when we have our full squad, we're a formidable team and can achieve great success."
Ruud van Nistelrooy will take over as the interim head coach for the match against Leicester, while the search for a permanent head coach is underway.
