Luke Shaw is eager to kick on and make a name for himself at Manchester United after making his first appearance in almost six weeks against Chelsea.

The 19-year-old has not had the smoothest of starts to his Old Trafford career, being in and out of the side after manager Louis van Gaal publicly criticised his fitness levels in pre-season.

But the full-back put in a solid performance in the 1-0 defeat to the Blues on Saturday and is hoping the period of adjustment following his big-money move from Southampton is at an end.

''I am still young and coming to the biggest club in the world hasn't been easy for me,'' Shaw told various national newspapers. ''I haven't been playing and there has been a lot of negative comments about me.

''It is something that isn't nice and I've tried to ignore it, but hopefully the Chelsea game is the start of me coming back. I am positive. It was my first performance for six weeks, so it was great to be back on the pitch.''

Shaw admitted early in the season that Van Gaal had been right to criticise his fitness levels, with some continuing to question his condition after he was substituted at half-time during the FA Cup clash against Arsenal on March 9.

But Shaw insists that was not the reason for his withdrawal and that he is enjoying his relationship with the United manager.

''I haven't been playing and there have been a lot of negative comments about me,'' he said. ''It is something that isn't nice and I've tried to ignore it but hopefully this is the start of me coming back.

''I saw a comment the other day saying I was taken off at half-time against Arsenal because I wasn't fit enough, but that's not true at all. This is coming from me and I know what the manager pulled me off for and it was not for my fitness because I could have carried on in the game.

''I spoke with the manager about it. I felt my back a little bit and he just wanted to be careful because I am young and hopefully have a long future ahead of me.

''Over the last three weeks, I have learned a lot from him and credit goes to him for trusting me in a big game like this one. He has two sides to him, but he is genuinely a really nice guy and a great manager.''