What Pep Guardiola did after Manchester United vs Man City sent a reminder to Ruben Amorim

Arguably the biggest surprise of derby day on Sunday afternoon was Luke Shaw's unexpected return to the Manchester United matchday squad.

The defender, alongside the likes of Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee, walked through the car park shortly before 12.45pm carrying his boot bag, suggesting he was in line to be included in Ruben Amorim's matchday plans for the first time since United beat Everton 4-0 at Old Trafford on December 1.

Amorim had made no reference to Shaw during his pre-match press conference on Friday lunchtime, naming Kobbie Mainoo as the only injured player who could be in line for a return.

However, Mainoo was nowhere to be seen, meaning his absence remains ongoing, but Shaw was fit enough to make the bench. It was a welcomed sighting of a player who has experienced months of torture on the injury front over the past two seasons.

Since the beginning of last season, Shaw has played just 18 times for United, with only three of those appearances being made this term. His last start for the Reds was against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on February 18 last year.

Despite making the bench for what will go down in history as one of the most forgettable, lacklustre Manchester derbies ever seen, Shaw did not make it onto the pitch. Amorim only used three of his five available substitutions, sending on Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount and Zirkzee.

Nevertheless, just the feeling of being back in the matchday environment must have generated a feeling of relief for Shaw. His injury record has understandably frustrated United fans, but nobody will have been hurting more than the England international during what has been a nightmare period.

A footballer's career is short and is often over in the blink of an eye. At the