Luke Shaw sustains fatal injury on HWN SPORTS

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal revealed that defender Luke Shaw was in tears after suffering a “gruesome” broken leg that will keep him out for at least six months.

The football world was united in shock after a tackle by PSV Eindhoven defender Hector Moreno left the 20-year-old England international with a double-fracture of his right leg.

Shaw was given oxygen and treated by nine medical staff during the nine-minute stoppage in Eindhoven before he was taken off on a stretcher carefully placed on a trolley and taken to hospital. He will return to Manchester on Wednesday or Thursday for an operation.

A clearly-shaken van Gaal had tried to comfort Shaw as he left the pitch and the United boss said afterwards: 'It is awful. A boy who came to Manchester United at 18, had a difficult time and then plays fantastic in his second season. Then, it happens like this.

'When he came into the dressing room, I couldn't say anything to him because he had on an oxygen mask, and he was crying.

'I am not a doctor so I can not say how long he will be out but when you have a double fracture I think it is six months, it depends how it develops. He won't play in the (Champions League) group phase any more. I hope he can play this season.

Moreno won the ball as he challenged Shaw strongly after 24 minutes but the follow-through smashed the left-back below the knee and his lower leg was left hanging at the wrong angle towards his shin.

Surprisingly, the player wasn't booked by referee Nicola Rizzoli, nor was a penalty awarded, something that shocked van Gaal, who used to have the player at AZ Alkmaar. 'It was a very bad tackle with two legs,' he said.

Ironically, Moreno also broke his leg playing against Van Gaal's Holland at last year's World Cup.


Former Manchester United and England striker Michael Owen said of Shaw's injury: 'It was a gruesome thing to see. The player's come in and basically snapped his leg in half.

'You don’t want to see the replay as it was such an horrific injury. You feel so sorry for him. He’s had his injury problems since joining Manchester United, and this season he has been sensational.

'It was almost mid-range between the knee and ankle, I’m presuming it’s straightforward, two bones down the leg. It should be a straightforward rehab, but you just hope there are no more complications in there.

'It’ll be next year before you see him again, but (club doctors) Steve McNally and Neil Hough are right at the top of their profession. He’s in fantastic hands, I can vouch for that.'

Former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves, also covering the game for BT Sport, said: 'You see Moreno go to ground, he’s played the ball, but his trailing leg was reckless and out of control. It should’ve been a red card and a penalty but because he plays the ball, the referee sees that.'

'You saw Daley Blind playing as a left-back and he can play there, but he’s virtually irreplaceable for this United team.'

Fellow pundit Paul Scholes added: 'It wasn’t very nice, especially for the lad; he’s had a great start to the season. He shows a great burst of pace in getting into the box…the tackle wasn’t great. In real time it didn’t seem that bad, but it was.'

Hundreds of other messages of support to Shaw were sent on social media including those from Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and England team-mate Jack Butland, leaving the player himself to respond: 'Thank you everyone for your messages, words can't describe how gutted I am, my road to recovery starts now. I will come back stronger.'

Former England striker Alan Shearer tweeted: 'The pictures look bad. Feel so sorry for Lukeshaw after he started the season so well' and inlcuded the hashtag “Get Well Luke”.

Gary Lineker added: 'Pictures of the Luke Shaw injury look horrific. Hope I'm wrong but fear the worst.'

Former United player and coach Phil Neville said: 'Disaster for Luke Shaw he's been in great form this season - let's hope he's Ok.'

England team-mate Jack Butland wrote: 'Gutted for you mate. Head up and I hope you make a speedy recovery.'

Shaw has been in outstanding form this season after initially struggling following his move from Southampton in 2014 and won his sixth England cap in the recent Euro 2016 win against Switzerland.

Source: DailymailUk, HWN Africa.