How Messi convinced Solskjaer that Shaw was a Man Utd centre back...

Luke Shaw has enjoyed a renaissance to his Manchester United career as a left-sided centre back recently - but he has Lionel Messi to thank for his run in that position.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has used a back three at times recently and when doing he has used Shaw as the centre back on the left, with Brandon Williams playing as left-wing back.

Shaw has done well in that role and United have won some big games in that system, noticeably at Manchester City and Chelsea recently. His first outing there came last season, in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, and why Shaw's unfortunate own goal gave the Catalans the advantage, Solskjaer was impressed with how the converted full-back helped to nullify the threat of Messi.

"[I've been] very pleased," Solskjaer said of Shaw's recent performances in the centre of defence.

"The pace he has back there is important for us. He's got a nice left foot, he can pass. He drives more with the ball and runs into space. It's just a position that we felt last season he could do. He did really well against Messi, I felt, in that game at Old Trafford. It's very exciting."

United could well revert to a back four for Sunday's visit of Watford, in what is a crucial game in the bid to break into the top four.

If Solskjaer does change system Shaw will find himself competing with Williams for a spot at left-back, but many of the players rested on Thursday night for the Europa League clash with Club Brugge will return.

"It's a chance for us, a chance for the boys. We've given many of them a rest so they should be fresh and ready for that game," Solskjaer said.

"The boys know that we cannot have too many slip-ups if we are going to challenge for the top four. That's what we want to do because you can't just rely on the Europa League as the way into Champions League, because at any point you can have a bad refereeing decision or a mistake can happen. The league is a priority. We need to get this momentum going."