'This shall be the season of Luke Shaw' - Van Gaal

The former Southampton left-back was dogged by fitness problems in his first year at Old Trafford but has featured regularly in pre-season and his manager backs him to impress

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has tipped left-back Luke Shaw to shine in the Premier League this season.

Shaw struggled in his debut season at Old Trafford in 2014-15, with injuries and fitness issues limiting the England international to just 16 league appearances following his big-money transfer from Southampton.

The 20-year-old appears to have put those woes behind him, having featured in all three of United's International Champions Cup fixtures after taking a fitness coach on holiday to Dubai in a bid to stay in shape.

"Luke Shaw is a big talent," Van Gaal told the press. "He's very young so it's not so easy for him to come from Southampton to as big a club as Manchester United.

"He has the benefit that he's an Englishman. Memphis Depay is a Dutchman and it's a different culture, a different rhythm to the game.

"So I think that it shall be the season of Luke Shaw, that I believe. I believe in him and he has to feel that and I hope he shall show it.

"But he's only 20 years old. How many players of that age are playing in the Premier League?"