Luke Shaw looks set to miss Manchester United's next two games after suffering a concussion in England's 2-1 defeat to Spain on Saturday evening.
The Mirror report that United could hold the left-back out from their Champions League opener against Young Boys next Wednesday in addition to Saturday's late afternoon kickoff against Watford at Vicarage Road.
Thank you for all the love and support I am doing fine and am in the best hands. I’m a fighter so I will be back soon! ❤????????
— Luke Shaw (@LukeShaw23) September 8, 2018
Shaw's absence will be felt keenly by last season's Premier League runners up, with Jose Mourinho failing to find a convincing fill-in on the left flank in his two and a bit seasons at Old Trafford - with Ashley Young playing as a makeshift defender for much of last season.
The 23-year-old looked to have finally put a plethora of fitness issues behind him at the start of the current campaign, impressing even in United's humbling defeat at the hands of Spurs, but his enforced absence will bring that excellent form to a grinding halt when his side look to tear down Watford's 100% record on the weekend.
Speaking in the aftermath of Shaw's accidental clash of heads with Dani Carvajal on Saturday, England manager Gareth Southgate said: “We'll have to assess him a bit more overnight and tomorrow, but that's definitely a good sign. Difficult to tell [if he was unconscious]. There'll be tests. We won't take any chances with his health, it was a nasty looking fall, but he is awake and talking."
Poor Luke Shaw, injured again. How cruel is that? Carvajal accidentally catches Shaw, all players’ concern immediate. After lengthy medical attention, Shaw placed on stretcher, receiving oxygen, fans/players applaud sympathetically as he's carried away. Such wretched luck #ENGESP
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) September 8, 2018
The injury came just days after Shaw admitted that he was close to losing his leg after a 2015 clash with PSV Eindhoven defender Hector Moreno, revealing: "I was really close to losing my leg. I didn't know that until six months later when the doctor told me. At the time, they were thinking about flying me back. If I'd flown back, I would probably have lost my leg because of the blood clots."