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Man United's Luke Shaw can still be among 'best in the world' - Ashley Young

Ashley Young believes under-fire Manchester United teammate Luke Shaw can be "one of the best in the world" if he works hard and keeps his head down.

Shaw, 22, has had a tough time since joining United from Southampton in 2014. The left-back also has an uneasy relationship with Jose Mourinho and was criticised by his manager after being taken off at half-time of Saturday's FA Cup quarterfinal win against Brighton.

Young was not keen to get into that particular matter, but has seen enough of Shaw to back him for the very top.

"I am not here to talk about other people and whatnot," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Obviously he is a player that wants to do well, I want to see him doing well. It's like all players, you just have to get your head down and work."

Asked if Shaw has it in him to come again, Young added: "Yeah, of course. He is a fantastic player. I feel he can be one of the best in the world. As I say, you've just got to work hard."

Young appears to have a good relationship with Shaw despite vying for the same starting berth, and he said that competition as helping him to kick on at 32.

"Of course, everybody in the squad pushes each other on," Young told Press Association Sport. "We've got a healthy competition in our squad and when you've got world-class players training day in, day out, everybody wants to be in that team.

"Everybody wants to be in that starting XI. It is tough. I've always said, when you join a club like United it's a tough place to play at. But if you play and you train there and give 100 percent, then get your opportunity and I've always said you always get your opportunity there."

Young's resurgent form at United saw him return to the England set-up in November, having last played for his country in September 2013.

"I feel like I am playing with confidence, I have done all season," Young said. "I've been playing more than I thought I would. It's obviously credit to the manager [Mourinho]. He's put me in the team and I've stayed there.

"I've wanted to cement my place in the team and, like you say, I am back in the England squad, which I am delighted to be in. There's a World Cup at the end of it. Who knows what's going to happen? I've just got to be impressive to the England manager and hopefully be on that plane. I've just got to keep playing as well as I can, and I'll just have to wait and see."

Young hopes his versatility will help earn a squad place and said: "I think now in modern-day football you've got to play in different positions."

And he has no qualms about going to Russia despite the current political uncertainty.

"We've had a conversation about it," he said. "Obviously, security will talk to us about it. But we're down to play football. That's for obviously the government and whoever else to talk about and discuss, but we're footballers.

"We're going there to play football and that's what we'll be looking to do."