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Days off for Manchester United players might be rarer than a Luke Shaw start over the next two-and-a-half weeks and the left-back capitalised on some rest days by heading out into Manchester city centre on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
Social media posts showed Shaw spent Saturday evening at a restaurant and the following night headed to rapper Drake's Arena after party at Bijou, where a video emerged of the United defender observing a magic trick.
It was harmless and several United seniors and youth-teamers were at the concert, either in a box or in the standing area. The flip-side is Henrikh Mkhitaryan spent a day off in October at United's Carrington training complex in an effort to end his exile.
If Shaw is to ever convince his manager it would be tantamount to pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Jose Mourinho will remain publicly diplomatic - Shaw is 'working well' - but at 21, Shaw is still naive and must win over his manager of the last seven months.
Especially when left-back remains a problem position for United and the most natural option cannot make the bench. Mourinho claimed on Saturday Shaw was overlooked in favour of the more versatile Matteo Darmian, only it was a glaring contradiction. At his maiden United press conference, Mourinho claimed he preferred 'specialists'.
Gary Neville said Mourinho has set Shaw a challenge: are you good enough to play for this club? As Neville said, "Luke Shaw has got to determine how he wants to take it." Neville said in November Shaw needed to 'mature'.
Mourinho explained last month Antonio Valencia's adventurousness demands the left-back play more reticently. "You cannot defend with two players," he said after the Liverpool draw. "You need that third player to give some cover inside and to keep some balances, and he [Darmian] did that well." That counts against Shaw and Daley Blind.
Blind's poor form continued at the weekend as he was skinned by Watford's quicksilver M'Baye Niang to provide their finest goalscoring opportunities. The Dutchman's best pieces of play came in the attacking third and during United's unbeaten Premier League run he has started fewer games than the right-footed Darmian at left-back.
Darmian has lined-up eight times in the last 16 league fixtures, Blind in seven and Marcos Rojo in one. The merry-go-round is so dizzy Darmian was the last to start two successive games at left-back almost a month ago and he has not been selected there since his performance against Liverpool.
His Italian fiancee has spent the best part of the last month in her homeland and posted a selfie earlier this week with the caption: " La faccia di chi domani torna al Nord Nord ." Which roughly translates as: 'The face of someone who tomorrow returns to the north'. It was accompanied by a sarcastic emoji but the couple might enjoy a summer homecoming.
Darmian actually jetted out to Italy during two days off last week, which he was perfectly entitled to. It was unfortunate for him that on many United fans' Instagram feeds a video Story of him reunited with his fiancee was then followed by one of Valencia - the player Darmian was bought to usurp - expanding his tree trunk thighs in the gym. It is that dedication which has cemented Valencia's and Mkhitaryan's statuses as first-teamers.
Mourinho must yearn for a Cesar Azpilicueta option and it was little surprise to see United linked with Monaco's Djibril Sidibe this week. Jorge Mendes is influential at the Ligue 1 leaders and Sidibe has started 12 games at left-back and 18 at right-back this term. The nearest multi-functional option United have to that is the unconvincing Darmian.
United lack a first-choice left-back but the role might be Rojo's between now and the end of the season. Eric Bailly, United's best centre half, has regained his place and his presence has seen Chris Smalling be repossessed by 'Mike' again, dismissing forwards and assisting goals from midfield.
Rojo has - despite a second injury in as many months - become fitter this season and his rapport with Mourinho is stronger than it was with Louis van Gaal. Mourinho converses with players in their preferred language and the Spanish contingent is happier after several clashed with Van Gaal, who was intent on selling Rojo before he suffered a dislocated shoulder and another injury crisis worsened.
It is understood Mourinho was initially open to discarding Rojo so he could sign Jose Fonte last summer. The Argentinian's mettle is steelier than many United supporters may have thought and he is worthy of a first-team status based on his performances in the last four months.
Mourinho might restore Rojo to the centre with Bailly if one of the left-back alternatives regains his trust. The fervent South American seems to be the safest option for the remainder of the campaign, despite starting at full-back just once in the Premier League and being savaged by supporters for his aimless display at Feyenoord.
Shaw might enjoy more days to rest
