Luke Shaw Fires Back at Man Utd Legend's Stinging Criticism: "It Hurts" - Star Defender's Raw Response

Manchester United's Luke Shaw has addressed the harsh words from club icon Roy Keane following the Red Devils' victory against Chelsea this past weekend.

Following United's defeat to Manchester City in the previous match, Keane commented on Sky Sports: "I believe Shaw has been escaping accountability for years at United. Constantly sidelined with injuries, never fully match-fit. We create justifications and then when he strings together a few appearances, he's making choices like he's reluctant to engage in tackles."

Keane, who captured seven Premier League titles, has consistently been direct in his assessments of his former team and others. Shaw—by his own admission—'accepted the feedback' as United recovered on Saturday with a 2–1 triumph over Chelsea.

Shaw addressed Keane's remarks head-on following the match.

"Naturally it stings. He possesses tremendous knowledge. He was among the greatest captains in Man Utd history. Sometimes you must simply accept the critique. I believe criticism comes with the territory of professional football. I pay attention to it. However, personally, I think he was correct. I believe last week, I was nowhere near my standard.

"I don't require Roy Keane's input to recognize that. Following that match, I was aware. The crucial aspect is understanding my capabilities. The coach recognizes that. I believe previous managers I've worked under understand that. I consistently feature in the starting eleven and regularly play, so there must be qualities that managers see in me," Shaw explained.

Shaw has been selected for every Premier League fixture this campaign as a left-sided center-back in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 formation. The English defender gained from a complete preseason after managing various injuries recently. During 2024–25, Shaw featured in only seven league matches and five Europa League contests.

Their second win of the campaign wasn't straightforward despite Robert Sánchez receiving a red card in the fifth minute for a dangerous foul outside the penalty area. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro both found the net in the opening period, but the Brazilian was issued a second booking and sent off before halftime.

Chelsea pulled one back after the interval through Trevoh Chalobah, but the Red Devils maintained their advantage for their second home win in 2025–26.

Man Utd will visit Brentford in the upcoming weekend before welcoming Sunderland prior to the October international window.