The 17-year-old midfielder was among the academy players involved at Carrington as Michael Carrick prepared his squad for the meeting at Stamford Bridge. Jack Fletcher, son of former United midfielder Darren Fletcher, also took part in the session.
Manchester United have endured a difficult run of results, losing their last two matches by three-goal margins against Como and Bournemouth. They have also gone without a victory in any competition since beating Champions League debutants Sabah on 10 September.
Carrick has had to manage several injury problems, with Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu and Manuel Ugarte unavailable for the Chelsea fixture. Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw are also doubtful, while Kobbie Mainoo has been working towards a return.
“[In terms of] good news, Kobbie has done a little bit of training yesterday. So, he's back and around the group, so that's obviously positive,” Carrick said at his pre-match press conference.
The senior absences created an opportunity for younger players to work with the first team, including Shah, who has progressed through United’s academy since arriving from Doncaster Rovers.
Born in Australia, Shah joined the club before signing scholarship forms in 2025. He made his Under-18s debut in February of that year and became a regular member of Fletcher’s side during the 2025-26 campaign. He also qualifies internationally for Vietnam and Pakistan through his parents. Indeed, Shah enjoys a much higher profile in Vietnam as an United player than he does in Australia.
Although his natural position is in midfield, Shah has also been used in defence, particularly at right-back. That versatility may have helped him earn the opportunity to train with the senior group as Carrick assessed his options.
Shah has already demonstrated an eye for goal at youth level, scoring during United Under-18s’ 6-0 victory over Wolves last month.
Fletcher was another academy representative involved in the session. The midfielder was named on the bench for the Champions League match against Como last week but is still waiting for his first-team appearance this season.
United’s immediate focus remains on the challenge of facing Chelsea, with Carrick looking to arrest the team's poor run. For Shah, however, the training opportunity provides valuable exposure to the demands of senior football and a chance to make an impression within the first-team environment.