Luke Shaw spoke to Jadon Sancho to try and calm his nerves during Manchester United’s tense penalty shoot-out against Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
United beat the Seagulls 7-6 on spot-kicks at Wembley after the two sides could not be separated across 120 minutes. The game was decided in sudden death after Brighton winger Solly March sent his effort way over the crossbar and Victor Lindelof kept his cool to find the top corner.
Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Marcel Sabitzer, Wout Weghorst and Lindelof all scored for United, who had a perfect record from the spot. Shaw was not required to take a penalty, but he did play an important role, helping his team-mates stay cool on the half-way line.
He told reporters: "I was next to Jadon. I said: 'whatever happens, happens, just be confident. It's part of football. Things happen, these things happen'
"And I think maybe what was playing on [Sancho and Rashford's] minds are the things that come with it – the racism and stuff that they experienced last time.
“But, of course, for me, they showed amazing confidence to step up and because the last time they took one in a shootout it was, of course, here and the memories of that. But I'm really happy for both of them to put themselves forward and take really good penalties."
HAVE YOUR SAY! Were you impressed with Manchester United's penalties? Comment below.
Sancho, Rashford and Bukayo Saka were all sent horrendous racist abuse after failing to score in England’s penalty shoot-out defeat by Italy in the Euro 2020 final in the summer of 2021.
Sancho took United’s third penalty at Wembley, finding the top corner in style from a short run-up. Rashford went fourth and found the corner despite Robert Sanchez going the right way. Shaw was especially pleased to see his team-mates succeed, given what they had been subjected to.x
"I haven't spoken to him [Sancho] but I'm sure there'll be maybe a bit of relief and I think very happy that they managed to take one and score," Shaw added. "I've been involved in two penalty shootouts and I've been on the losing side both times (with United and England in the 2021 Europa League and Euros finals), so to win one today was a big relief for me."
United will play Manchester City in the final on June 3 after getting past Brighton on penalties. Erik ten Hag’s side have the chance to complete a cup double at Wembley, having already won the Carabao Cup by beating Newcastle in February.
They will travel to north London next to face Tottenham, who will be managed by Ryan Mason following the sacking of Cristian Stellini on Monday. United are fourth in the Premier League, six points ahead of Spurs with two games in hand.
