Three years is certainly a long time in football. In the 2014 World Cup, Luke Shaw was England’s shining gem and first-choice left-back following the retirement of Ashley Cole – all whilst still being a teenager.

A lucrative move to Manchester United from Southampton looked to put Shaw on the track to greatness but a horrific leg-break suffered at the start of the last season halted his development and the England ace has struggled to fight back.

At the weekend, Shaw was once again absent from Manchester United’s first-team, despite a host of first-team injuries, and Jose Mourinho launched a brutal attack on the young full-back as he questioned his ambition and focus.

It’s not exactly clear what has gone on behind the scenes but Shaw is certainly facing a battle to be a part of Mourinho’s plans once again. Whilst many have questioned whether the Portuguese boss is being harsh, the reality is it’s irrelevant.

Mourinho may well be out of order but whatever the situation, the responsibility falls to Luke Shaw to turn things around and the comments from his manager should push him towards a response.

Perhaps that’s what Mourinho is hoping to get from Shaw, who has made just two first-team appearances in the past four months, but it is a risky tactic. At the highest end of the game though, players need to be able to cope with the pressure and any criticism.

The question marks concerning Luke Shaw are whether he can respond to Mourinho’s comments and get his career back-on-track, whether that be at Manchester United or somewhere else.

At 21, Shaw still has plenty of years ahead of him but he risks being a player who becomes associated with his expensive price-tag and his failure to establish himself at a top-club like Manchester United- and only he has the power to change that.

Perform in the final two months of the season and Shaw may start to get more regular chances. The worst case scenario would be for him to get opportunities but still be sold, although that would open up the door for him to land a move to a bigger club.

As things stand, Shaw’s Manchester United career is sinking without a trace and, with all the background noise going on with the young defender, it would take a brave club to offer him a escape from Old Trafford.

Shaw’s only way of answering back to the criticism is with his football, only he holds that power. The mark of a quality player is how they respond to difficult times and criticism, so he needs to show what he has in his locker.

For Manchester United, they’ll need to hope that Shaw does enough to turn things around as it’s obvious they will be made to pay if the young defender moves elsewhere. Whatever happens, Shaw still has a big career ahead of him and he’s likely to cause Manchester United problems if he ends up facing off against the Red Devils further down the line.

Shaw needs to push harder but he also needs support. The senior players at Manchester United need to help him get back on track, particularly compatriots like Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney.

If they do, then Shaw still might have a career at Manchester United.