Luke Shaw won praise from Jose Mourinho and took a step on the road to redemption with his performance against Sunderland. Now he has to sustain his re-found determination...
"The attitude is improving, the training is improving, the opportunities are coming. It's just a process of education." - Jose Mourinho on Luke Shaw, April 9, 2017
Jose Mourinho's very public criticism of Luke Shaw over the past week has been scorned.
Phil Neville said it was something Sir Alex Ferguson would never have done, Jamie Redknapp described Mourinho's assertion Shaw was playing with his manager's "brain" against Everton as one of the "most disrespectful" comments he'd heard about a professional player, while Phil Thompson suggested the Portuguese's approach could cost him the support of the dressing room.
But Mourinho is seeing the results he desires.
A week after questioning Shaw's commitment, focus and ambition after leaving him out of the matchday squad to face West Brom, and then claiming he needed kick-by-kick instructions against Everton, Mourinho was praising the 21-year-old left-back for a "very solid performance" in United's 3-0 win at Sunderland.
During his 61 minutes on the pitch, Shaw came up with four key passes, more than any other Manchester United player managed in the whole game, including a superb clipped ball forwards which gave Henrikh Mkhitaryan the opportunity to score the visitors' second.
There were four crosses from the left flank (again, a team high), while a smart turn past Billy Jones and dart to the by-line in the first-half was reminder of Shaw's threat when he's running with the ball at his feet.
United sent 38 per cent of their attacks down Shaw's side in the first-half on Sunday, an indication of the success he was having on the front foot against Sunderland's right-sided Jones and Didier Ndong.
Those contributions shouldn't come as a surprise. Shaw, after all, became the world's most expensive teenager when Manchester United followed up their interest in his impressive performances for Southampton in 2014.
But the defender's work rate at the Stadium of Light demonstrated a shift in approach. Shaw recorded 36 high-intensity sprints against Sunderland - more than he managed in 70 minutes against Bournemouth on his last Premier League start in March.
When he was substituted, among his team-mates, only attackers Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard had made more. He coupled his talent with the hard work demanded by his manager.
Afterwards, Mourinho revealed the only reason Shaw was withdrawn was because of the threat of being shown a second yellow card, after bringing down Ndong from behind in the first half. "He didn't make mistakes, was confident on the ball, was focused, so it's easy for me to tell him, 'good, solid performance'," the manager told Sky Sports.
But, make no mistake, this was just one step in the right direction on the path to redemption for the England international. Mourinho says his education is ongoing and Shaw will have to provide the motivation to learn. "If his attitude improves, as he is improving lately, opportunities are always coming," he had said before the game.
Former United defender Neville reckoned Mourinho's frustration with Shaw had taken him to his "wit's end" and he told Sky Sports the full-back has work to do to convince his manager he can make the most of his unquestioned talent and be a long-term success at Old Trafford.
"I see this as his last opportunity to become a Manchester United player," Neville said. The stakes are high - and with just two months before the transfer window opens again, Shaw only has a limited time in which to impress.
For his part, the defender appears to be backing up his midweek declaration that he would fight for his future at the club. "I am not going to give up. I love this club and I will give everything to be here," he said.
After demanding that re-found determination from his player, Mourinho is prepared to provide opportunities. Now Shaw has to continue to take them.