Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho quickly puts Luke Shaw back in his place after his influential display against Everton
Defender's effort was handled by Ashley Williams in the box - allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to equalise from the spot
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LUKE SHAW was finally feeling good about himself when he talked to reporters beneath the Stretford End late on Tuesday night.
But it didn't take Jose Mourinho long to bring him back down to earth.
The £30million defender had an encouraging 25-minute appearance as a sub during the 1-1 draw with Everton.
He climbed off the bench to help to Manchester United scramble a point by winning the late penalty which Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted.
So the England full-back spoke passionately about his love for United and his hopes for the future with them as he carried out media duties.
After everything he has been through, you could not begrudge him that moment.
Yet around the same time, his manager Mourinho was talking in his press conference in another part of Old Trafford. And taking the wind out of Shaw's sails again.
The Portuguese chose to dig out Shaw once more - suggesting the 21-year-old lacked maturity and a football brain.
The United chief said: "He had a good performance but it was his body with my brain. He was in front of me and I was making every decision for him.
"He cannot play with my brain. He has to change his football brain.”
So back to square one for the former Southampton favourite then.
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If - and it's a big 'if' - Shaw is going to stay and forge a career at United under Mourinho, he might have to get used to this.
He is by no means the first - and certainly won't be the last player to be hung out to dry by the 'Special One'.
This is his way of doing it - and it has brought him silverware on a regular basis - as well as many enemies.
Ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand is one who believes it is a risky strategy if the team is not performing.
Ferdinand said: "When a manager goes public it’s a dangerous thing because you can lose people.
"You’re not winning, so there’s a chance the changing room could react in a negative way.
"I think he's hoping for a reaction. It's easier to dig people out like that when you're winning games.”
Certainly Shaw - who spent almost a year on the sidelines with a broken leg last season - looks like he would benefit from an arm around his shoulder.
Mourinho talked on Tuesday night of his players lacking confidence - yet it doesn't stop him from hanging them out to dry. Is it any wonder they lack self-belief?
The world of football punditry leapt to the defence of Shaw yesterday – not that it would concern Mourinho.
The left-back seems to have become the manager’s 'whipping boy' - although he is by no means the only one.
Chris Smalling was criticised for telling his manager he was not fit to play at Swansea earlier in the season - even though he had broken his toe.
He used a different way of singling out players on Saturday when he named the players he WAS happy with after the goalless draw with West Brom.
It didn't take a genius to work out that meant he was particularly unimpressed with Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial.
He then talked three days later of England youngster Rashford being short of confidence and needing patience.
Meanwhile, he took a swipe at Mkhitaryan over his display against the Baggies as he axed him and Martial for the visit of Ronald Koeman's men.
It worked earlier in the season with the Armenian - but will it work again?
In his first spell at Chelsea, his methods created a siege mentality in the dressing room and the players would run through brick walls for him.
It didn't end well at Real Madrid though - nor in his second coming at Stamford Bridge.
And it doesn’t seem to be working now – neither Rashford nor Lingard played particularly well against Everton with Mourinho’s rebuke still ringing in their ears.
Ferdinand hopes it is all part of Mourinho's plan to adopt a 'siege mentality' among his players at Manchester United.
He said: "When you speak to the guys he had at Chelsea - like Frank Lampard - he was really good at getting them altogether.
"Behind closed doors I can imagine him creating that here. I can imagine that he's saying one thing out here and something different inside."
It would have to be markedly different if Mourinho is not heading down a path that has ended in tears before.