On September 14, 2025, Manchester City outclassed Manchester United 3-0 in the Manchester derby, exposing the chasm between the rivals. Phil Foden opened the scoring in the 18th minute, heading in a Jeremy Doku cross after Luke Shaw was outmaneuvered. Erling Haaland’s second-half brace, in the 53rd and 68th minutes, sealed City’s dominance, with Shaw’s hesitation and poor tracking exploited for both goals. United’s stand-in goalkeeper Altay Bayindir had little chance, while attackers Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko barely threatened. The defeat reportedly highlighted United’s struggles under Ruben Amorim, leaving fans frustrated at their team’s lackluster display.
Manchester United’s 3-0 loss left them stranded mid-table with just four points
from four Premier League games, intensifying scrutiny on their shaky defense. Club legend Rio Ferdinand, on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, tore into left-back Luke Shaw, calling him “100 percent at his worst this season” for his role in all three City goals. “For his experience, that’s not good enough in a derby,” Ferdinand said, sparking heated debate about Shaw’s form under new manager Ruben Amorim. The 30-year-old, reportedly injury-prone since joining from Southampton in 2014, struggled in his rare start.
Luke Shaw missed much of the previous campaign due to hamstring and other injuries
Luke Shaw's season has been reportedly a tale of frustration. Having missed much of the previous campaign due to hamstring and other injuries, he returned but has yet to regain his rhythm. United's failure to sign a new center-back in the summer transfer window, following the departures of Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans, has left the defense threadbare, with teenager Ayden Heaven as Shaw's primary deputy, a player with just nine senior appearances to his name. Under Amorim, who inherited a squad in disarray after Erik ten Hag's sacking, Shaw was expected to provide stability on the left. However, his adaptation to the Portuguese's high-pressing system has been rocky, with critics pointing to lapses in concentration and reduced mobility.
Ferdinand's podcast remarks add to a growing narrative of concern at United. The club, once synonymous with defensive solidity under legends like Ferdinand himself, now reportedly grapples with inconsistency. Shaw, with over 250 appearances for United and England caps to his name, faces a pivotal moment to rediscover his form or risk being sidelined in Amorim's vision. As Ferdinand put it, “Experience should be an asset, not a liability, Luke needs to step up, or we're in trouble.”
