Luke Shaw insists that playing at Anfield is business as usual for him, even though he fully acknowledges the intense hostility that comes with facing Liverpool on their own turf. Softfootball expected them to back their dominant 2-0 victory against Sunderland with a strong display at Anfield.
The Manchester United left-back has featured at Anfield several times throughout his career, first with Southampton and now with United, and he knows exactly what to expect when the team bus rolls into L4. Shaw could make yet another appearance there this Sunday as Rúben Amorim’s side prepare for a crucial Premier League clash against their long-standing rivals.
Speaking in an interview as revealed via Manchester United’s official website, Shaw opened up about the charged atmosphere that surrounds the fixture, saying the tension begins well before kick-off. The England international said the rivalry and intensity are simply part of football’s drama, something that motivates rather than intimidates him, words also echoed by teammate Matheus Cunha, who promised to use all the pressure of playing for United to his advantage.
Shaw said:
You really feel it, of course, not just when you’re in the stadium but leading into the stadium. You go along a one-way road kind of thing, and the bus is there, and there are a lot of fans outside. It really is hostile.
I think as players, you kind of enjoy that moment; you know, it really feels like a big game then. It can be very hostile. But I think it’s part and parcel of football, the rivalry.
Still, he maintains a calm mindset once inside the dressing room, blocking out the noise and focusing purely on performance.
Shaw revealed:
I think once you are in the zone, you kind of forget about everything else,” he continued. “It is, like you said, business as usual.
But of course, before the game, I think always for me, when you get into the changing room, I think you zone out of most things and you completely focus on the game ahead and what needs to be done, that’s just how I am.
I just focus completely on the game when I’m in the changing room and don’t think about too many distractions outside of that.
You always look forward to the big games. Hopefully, this season, we can get a much better result there.
United will be looking to improve on last season’s 2-2 draw in Amorim’s first Anfield visit as head coach. For Shaw, it’s another chance to embrace the challenge and the chaos that comes with football’s fiercest rivalry.
