Two months ago, Diogo Dalot was the Manchester United player that I considered the biggest weak link in an appalling Ruben Amorim side. However, under Michael Carrick, he’s changed my mind.
Michael Carrick’s system has had several winners within the Manchester United squad, from Benjamin Sesko to Kobbie Mainoo. However, the biggest winner of all is Diogo Dalot, as the full-back has quite literally gone from zero to the unsung hero.
I was among the fans who considered Dalot to be a weak link, and in my defence, as a wing-back in the 3-4-2-1 system, he absolutely was a hindrance to the team’s functionality.
Dalot has silenced critics under Carrick, performing to a high level in each of the six games so far, while re-establishing himself to be one of the best full-backs in the league.
Now, after watching Dalot’s underrated performance against Everton, I can admit that I was wrong to write the Portuguese defender off.
Diogo Dalot’s performance against Everton warrants serious praise
United’s outing against the Toffees was far from a classic, and with the three points in the bag, I certainly won’t be going back to watch it again anytime soon.
It was ultimately a 1-0 win for United, which did the job. And among the better performers was Dalot.
I was always among the first to be disappointed or criticise a Dalot performance when warranted, but on the flip side, he deserves praise right now.
Not only was he rock solid at the back as Everton created virtually nothing, but Dalot also showcased an improved level of quality going forward.
On one occasion, I was shocked as Dalot pulled off a step-over to get by Jarrad Branthwaite, before his shot asked an awkward question of Jordan Pickford.
Carrick then moved Dalot to right wing later in the game, where is again did everything asked of him.
According to FotMob, Dalot stood out for his outing against the Toffees.
- 1st for touches in opponents’ box – 4 (tied with Mbeumo and Tarkowski)
- 1st for interceptions – 3
- 2nd for interceptions – 3
Dalot’s heatmap also showed how well he managed to get up and down the right flank in what I would consider a really solid all-round performance.
With 77 touches of the ball, Dalot also created one chance for his teammates. So it is time Dalot got the respect he deserves for turning his career at the club around, with much owed to Carrick.
Diogo Dalot’s future at Manchester United now looks brighter
As much as I say I was wrong over my verdict on Dalot, at the time, I wasn’t because his performances in Amorim’s system, often on the left, were a travesty to watch at times.
It was as though Amorim was setting Dalot up to fail by playing him out of position and on his unnatural side.
However, nobody ever questioned Dalot as a traditional full-back, and now that he’s back to that role, we are seeing him reap the rewards.
I think Dalot is a vital piece to the squad right now, in his leadership, standard setting and importantly, his performances in the right-back position.
His future at the club looks bright; hopefully, he can maintain this form to prove this is his true level.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/sd6HC0E