Manchester United boss Michael Carrick reckons his trio of Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire all deserve to be on the plane to the World Cup with England this summer.
All three were in the starting XI as the Red Devils beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
It is another good result for Carrick during his impressive stint in charge since January, which will see Manchester United finish third, no matter what happens on the final day of the season.
Shaw continued his remarkable run of starting every Premier League game this season, an impressive performance for any player, but especially one who has been blighted by injuries so much over his career.
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The 30-year-old has 34 England caps to his name but none since 2024, but Carrick says he has earned a return to Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
Maguire and Mainoo have been in the Three Lions squad of late and Carrick thinks all three should be involved in this summer’s World Cup.
‘I certainly think so, yeah. I’ve not got much sway in the matter at all but I certainly think so,’ he said after the win over Forest.
‘The consistency, just what he’s capable of doing. Performance, the experience, his strengths, the attributes he’s got.
‘He’s a fantastic full-back and I think all three of them have done their chances no harm recently, for sure.’
Shaw earned particular praise after he opened the scoring against Forest, his first goal of the campaign as his impressive durability this season continued.
That consistency will be put to the test next season when the Red Devils return to Champions League action.
‘I think it’s difficult for anybody to do, to be honest, when there’s so many games it’s not an easy thing,’ Carrick said of Shaw’s appearance record.
‘Sometimes it’s no fault of your own. Unfortunately injuries and things are part of football and there’s other things that come into play. To start every game is a really fantastic thing to be able to do.
‘Next season’s a new season and there’s different types of runs of games but that’s part of adapting. That’s being a little bit older, experience and knowing your body and managing things.
‘He’s at that stage, Luke now, where he’s got an awful lot of experience, he’s been here for a long time, he knows the club, he knows what it feels like, the ups and he’s suffered more of the more challenging times.
‘Next season, I think, his experience will be valuable however many games he plays.’