Manchester United: Luke Shaw returns to training as Phil Jones and Ashley Young are included in U21 squad

Manchester United's current injury situation took a positive turn on 4 April, with Luke Shaw returning to light activities at the club's Aon Training Complex in Carrington. The England left-back, who became football's most expensive teenager when he completed a £31m ($44.2m) switch from Southampton in 2014, has been sidelined since breaking his right leg 15 minutes into a Champions League fixture away to PSV Eindhoven in September.

Although the offending tackle from Hector Moreno was lacking in malevolent intent, Shaw left the Philips Stadion with a double fracture that required surgery and a lengthy lay-off. The 20-year-old was included in Louis van Gaal's squad for the knockout stages of the Europa League after being set the competition's final in Basel on 18 May as a date to work towards. That particular dream ended when United lost 3-1 on aggregate to rivals Liverpool at the last-16 stage and his manager recently claimed that it would be "very difficult" for him to play in the FA Cup final three days later, should his side make it that far in the competition.

Confirming that Shaw had indeed completed his first session back, teammate Juan Mata took to Instagram to say: "My friend Luke Shaw just came in from running out on the pitch. Getting closer."

United have suffered from a multitude of fitness issues of late, with Bastian Schweinsteiger potentially set to miss the rest of the season and possibly even Euro 2016 after partially tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during a training session held before Germany's friendly defeat to England in Berlin. Captain Wayne Rooney has been out for almost two months, but Ander Herrera and Ashley Young both returned to the squad for the 1-0 win against Everton on Sunday (3 April).

Young, whose last outing came against Liverpool in mid-January, was left as an unused substitute on a memorable day for Sir Bobby Charlton at Old Trafford, but will continue his recovery from a serious groin problem by featuring for United's U21 side during their imminent meeting with Chelsea. Versatile defender Phil Jones will also line up alongside the likes of Guillermo Varela, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Paddy McNair and Andreas Pereira having missed 12 weeks due to a recurring ankle issue. Rooney is not included this time around, although is expected to play for the U21s before he makes his first-team comeback.