England and Manchester United fullback Luke Shaw is looking like a doubt for the Euros this summer as he has suffered yet another injury that is set to rule him out for the majority of the season if not all of it.
Shaw had only just returned to Premier League action in recent weeks and was substituted at half-time during Man United’s away win against Aston Villa as a precaution, at least according to Erik ten Hag.
However, the same scenario played out in the game against Luton at Kenilworth Road this past Sunday and the left-back was sadly left on the physio bench following what has now been confirmed to be a recurring hamstring injury.
Unfortunately for Reds and England supporters alike, the club released a statement explaining that “Shaw has sustained a muscle injury and will be out for an extended period”, adding that “further assessment is still needed to determine the severity but we expect him to be absent for a few months.”
🔴 Manchester United expect Luke Shaw to return just before the end of the season, as English LB also hopes to be ready for the Euros.
Shaw’s Euros prospects are now in doubt following an unfortunate hamstring injury.
With Euro 2024 looming and England manager Gareth Southgate set to make his final squad selection in the next couple of months or so, it will be nothing short of a race to get back to fitness and hope that he might return to action in some form towards the end of the season — though it looks unlikely.
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Said to be a muscle injury rather than any kind of fracture or ligament damage, his United and Three Lions teammates will also be keeping their fingers crossed for a straightforward recovery even if it does take a while.
Now 28, the worry on the player’s side is that he won’t want to miss out on what could be one of his last few chances to play in a major international tournament and having made such a huge impact at the World Cup and the most recent Euros, having scored that incredible opener in the final, neither will fans.
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The defender has had more of an injury-ridden career than most and spent large spells on the sidelines at Old Trafford, in particular, and with ten Hag’s other fullbacks Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka both still injured, not to mention Lisandro Martinez also out for two months, they’re strapped at the back.
As for who could fill in for Shaw at left-back when England travel to the Euros, the likes of Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell and Newcastle’s Dan Burn are probably furthest in the pecking order behind him, but Brentford’s Rico Henry and Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell could also be in contention for the full squad.
On the other hand, Southgate has experimented plenty with three/five at the back and could opt for deploying more centre-halves to fill in, having often used Manchester City star and treble-winner as a right-sided centre-back.
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If you were Southgate and Shaw wasn’t an option, who would you put at left-back for Euro 2024 or would change the shape of the back line to suit the players available?
Featured Images — USA Network (via Screenshot)/Luke Shaw/England (via Instagram)
Sport
Tributes paid to former Manchester City winger Ian Mellor, dead at 74
Danny Jones
Tributes are pouring following the death of former Manchester City star, Ian Mellor, who has sadly passed away at the age of 74.
Mellor, from Sale in Greater Manchester, played as a left winger for Man City as well as the likes of Norwich City, Brighton, Chester, Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford.
With his family and former club confirming the death on Wednesday, 1 May, social media has been awash with people paying their respects to the seasoned ex-pro who sadly died following a long battle with amyloidosis, a rare and incurable disease which affects organs such as the heart, brains and kidneys.
Replying to his son and ex-Liverpool turned Sky Sports broadcaster, Neil Mellor, the club paid their respects to the former Blue who made 50 appearances for the club.
We're saddened to learn of the passing of our former player, Ian Mellor.
Mellor began his career just down the road at Wythenshawe Amateurs before going on to represent City from 1970 to 1973.
A boyhood fan of the club, he scored 10 goals whilst wearing Sky Blue and also went on to win the Charity Shield with them back in 1972.
Eventually nicknamed ‘Spider’ for a good chunk of his career due to his long-legged stature, he remained attached to the beautiful game for years after his retirement and went on to become a committee member for the Former Players Association at City.
Joining the likes of all his former clubs, Chester City said: “Everyone at [the club] is saddened to hear of the passing of Ian Mellor. Sending all our love to you and your family, Neil Mellor.
His son Neil’s goodbye has touched many online too, calling his dad his “hero” and his “everything”.
He also went on to thank locally-based end-of-life care organisation and charity, St Ann’s Hospice, who have facilities all over Greater Manchester and who helped care for Ian in his final days.
Our thoughts are with his friends and family as well as those whose lives he touched through football during this difficult time.
Featured Images — Manchester City/Neil Mellor (via X)
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Manchester MMA star Tom Aspinall slams ‘unfair’ start times for UFC 304 at Co-op Live
Danny Jones
Local MMA star Tom Aspinall has come out to criticise the start times for UFC 304 here in Manchester, calling it ‘unfair’ for fans here in the UK.
In case you missed that rather big announcement, the UFC is returning to Manchester after nearly a decade and will be the very first sporting event held at the brand-new Co-op Live Arena, which is finally set to open this week following multiple delays (touch wood).
However, in an effort to keep broadcasters and the UFC‘s massive audience back in the US, the fight card will be starting until around 3am – and that’s at the very earliest.
Responding to the decision the Atherton-born and Salford-based fighter posted a video on his socials saying, “As a fan who wants to watch it live, I think it is absolutely terrible”.
He goes on to say that “it’s just not fair on the fans – the UK fans obviously. It’s predominantly an American audience so I understand that, they want to sell to them, but why can’t they sell to them in the afternoon which is our evening time?
While he admitted it “doesn’t make that much difference” to him as a fighter, the 31-year-old went on to ask, “Why can’t the American watch it in the afternoon and Manchester, the UK and European fans can all fly to the event and sell out this new arena?”
“I mean, it’s going to sell out regardless, mate”, Aspinall reiterated, adding that “we’re very lucky to have a pay-per-view event in Manchester” but that forcing the British audience and Mancs to watch something just down the road at a US-convenient time just doesn’t seem right.
There’s been plenty of backlash amongst MMA fans online too, with many stating that it simply goes to show that the UFC as an organisation “don’t care” about overseas supporters as much as they claim to.
As the current interim heavyweight champion, Aspinall will be right up at the top of the billing for UFC 304, which is the first time the event has been in the UK full stop since 2016.
We can only hope for similarly victorious scenes for the North West this July.
As for the shiny new venue, Co-op Live, after a fair few teething problems it looks like they are now on course to open just a week or so after the initial launch date. Not so bad.
Danny Jones -
22nd February 2024 
