Left-back Luke Shaw accepted full responsibility for giving away a penalty in the dying stages of Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Thursday evening. To Shaw’s credit, he stepped forward and accepted full responsibility for such a crushing blow. It was particularly unfortunate for the England defender as he had performed excellently at centre-back once again.
Luke Shaw said: “It hurts a lot. It was the last minute, the last action, really, I think. I got a little nudge but, of course, the hand shouldn’t be there, I own up to it and take it on the chin. I cost us the game and it’s tough.”
Although the defender refused to use it as an excuse, he felt that a free-kick should have been awarded in United’s favour in the build-up to him handling the ball.
Luke Shaw added: “I can’t even explain why my hand is up there. Of course, I said I got a nudge and maybe that helped my arm go up, but it still shouldn’t be there. I think, even before the corner, the free-kick that was given away before that was never a foul. I am not looking for excuses for what I have done but I don’t think there is any way that should have been a foul that led to the corner before. For me, maybe that corner should not have even happened. But, of course, I cannot change that and I am not accusing the referee of anything. I just don’t think it was a foul, but I put my hands up and it was a silly mistake that cost us a point at the end.”
