November 8, 2024

Are you watching, Jose? Luke Shaw makes his old boss Mourinho eat his words with sublime deliveries for Harry Maguire and Harry Kane to score against Ukraine… just days after …

Harry Kane #HarryKane

Luke Shaw responded to Jose Mourinho’s criticism of his set-piece taking ability by producing two perfect deliveries for Harry Maguire and Harry Kane to head home in England’s 4-0 win over Ukraine.

The Manchester United left back whipped in a brilliant free-kick just one minute into the second-half, which was met by Maguire who emphatically headed home into the corner of the net to put England 2-0 up in the Euro 2020 quarter-final clash in Rome.

Shaw, who also laid it on a plate for Kane to put England 3-0 up, fell out with Mourinho at Old Trafford and exiled him from first-team duties due to concerns over his fitness. 

Luke Shaw proved Jose Mourinho wrong by producing pin-point crosses for England in their 4-0 win over Ukraine

Luke Shaw proved Jose Mourinho wrong by producing pin-point crosses for England in their 4-0 win over Ukraine

Shaw's free-kick fell perfectly to Maguire who headed home England's second after half-time

Shaw’s free-kick fell perfectly to Maguire who headed home England’s second after half-time

Shaw then laid it on a plate for Harry Kane to head home England's third of the night

Shaw then laid it on a plate for Harry Kane to head home England’s third of the night

And during the knockout stages, Mourinho criticised Shaw for his set-piece taking ability, with the Roma manager now being proved wrong in the city where he has just arrived.

Mourinho told The Times last month: ‘For me, he is not a guy to take set pieces or be in the box to win a duel in the air. He is very fast and a perfect position is to stay back on corners to cope with transitions. 

‘But maybe Gareth needed a left foot or he did something very good in training that we didn’t see in the game. But no drama. Maybe against Germany he takes an amazing corner and England win from that. Fantastic.’

Mourinho, who fell out with Shaw at Man United, criticised the defender's set-piece taking

Mourinho, who fell out with Shaw at Man United, criticised the defender’s set-piece taking

Shaw's display happened in Rome - where Mourinho landed on Friday to start as Roma boss

Shaw’s display happened in Rome – where Mourinho landed on Friday to start as Roma boss 

Shaw’s delivery for Maguire was hailed by BBC Sport commentator Jermaine Jenas, who described the cross as ‘beautifully whipped’.

He said on commentary duty: ‘Absolute delivery from Luke Shaw. He whipped that onto Harry Maguire’s head. 

‘This is the one that Gareth Southgate is waiting for, bringing set pieces into the game. Look at the aggression, determination from Harry Maguire. He was never going to miss that one. 

‘Massive goal for England, but that delivery from Luke Shaw – you can’t underestimate how beautifully whipped in that ball was.’

The England left-back hit back at Mourinho’s comments last week, stating that his set-piece taking in the group stage matches against Scotland and Czech Republic were not ‘as bad as he was saying’.  

Shaw's (front) cross for Maguire's (back) goal was described as 'beautifully whipped'

Shaw’s (front) cross for Maguire’s (back) goal was described as ‘beautifully whipped’

‘I don’t understand it,’ said Shaw, who had a wry smile when Mourinho’s comments came up. ‘I don’t know why he is still going on and wanting to point at me.

‘I don’t feel like the set-pieces were as bad as he was saying. I might have done one in the second half, a corner, that didn’t get over the first man. But that was one out of three. The other two or three, I don’t think, were as “dramatically bad” as he says.

‘Look, he has got to do his job. I’m used to him saying negative stuff about me, so I just pass it by.

‘His voice is obviously very big. He likes to talk a lot about me, as everyone has seen recently. But his voice is his own. He can say what he wants, I will focus on myself. I take set-pieces at United, so it wasn’t as if it was something I wasn’t ready for.’ 

Shaw (left) was slammed by Mourinho for his set-piece taking ability in the group stages

 Shaw (left) was slammed by Mourinho for his set-piece taking ability in the group stages

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