Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has admitted that he wanted to prove Jose Mourinho wrong after his criticism last season.
Shaw has struggled for consistency and regular playing time since breaking his leg in 2015, but the 23-year-old has now established himself as Mourinho's preferred option at left-back.
Mourinho has openly praised Shaw for his improvement and recall to the England squad, but Shaw has claimed that his manager was right to criticise his displays during the most recent campaign.
Shaw is quoted by Sky Sports News as saying: "I think he got frustrated with me because he knew I could do better. When I look back, maybe he was right.
"It was a tough few years but it made me stronger mentally. I wanted to prove to him I can do what he said I couldn't.
"I had a chat with the manager before the season and he said he wanted me to stay. I've matured. You could say I've gone from a kid to a man. I know what I need to do to push myself. I want to play for Manchester United, stay there and prove my worth to the team."
Shaw has not represented England since March 2017, but could feature against either Spain or Switzerland over the next seven days.
Darren Plant
