Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot had a forgettable outing over the weekend in the 4-4 Premier League draw against Aston Villa at Old Trafford. Twice the Red Devils trailed in the game, and twice they drew level to mark an evening of ups and downs for Michael Carrick.
United went 2-0 behind by the fourth minute in the game, but managed to score twice in the first half to ignite talk of another remontada. However, Dalot gave away a penalty in the second half and Villa were soon 4-2 up and cruising.
The Portuguese was replaced by Patrick Dorgu in the 66th minute, and the Dane played a major role in the comeback. After Joshua Zirkzee made it 3-4 in the second minute of second-half injury time, Dorgu score with virtually the last touch of the game to secure a point for his team.
Meanwhile, Dalot’s substitution was cheered by home fans, while he was also booed off the pitch. The incident prompted a response from Michael Carrick, who urged fans to be careful with their reaction. Acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano has now shed further light on Dalot’s future.
Truth about Carrick’s public backing of Dalot
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained why Michael Carrick asked United fans to go easy on Dalot. He said: “I want to close on Manchester United also on one single player. I think that’s a personal opinion, but also to tell you what is the situation.”
“Diogo Dalot is getting booed by all the Manchester United, not all but so many Manchester United fans at Old Trafford. It’s a difficult moment. Obviously, the performances at some points maybe have not been the best for sure. Not the best moment for him, but a couple of things.”
“Why Michael Carrick after the game goes to the press and says, ‘Be very careful when you attack Diogo Dalot.’ Why this is happening? Why Carrick is backing the Diogo Dalot in public in that way despite so many fans booing him at Old Trafford?”
“Because Diogo Dalot is a role model and in these years at Manchester United, not only this season, in general, over these years, difficult years at United, not so many players have been so serious. Not so many players have been so professional.”
“Not so many players have been so good in terms of behaviour. Always help your teammate. Help the coach. Try to do your best for the team. Never say no if you have to play in a difficult position not in your position.”
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
| Apps | 10 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| Minutes | 715 | 270 | 90 | 1075 |
| Starts | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Assists | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clean sheets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dalot going out of his way to help the team
Romano went on to point out that Dalot has been playing out of position to help United amid Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu’s injury troubles. The journalist continued: “Dalot is not a left back, but if he has to help, even if that can expose him, Dalot is saying yes.”
“Then maybe he’s not the best left back for sure in the Premier League but Dalot is always willing to help. Then obviously to play with so many fans against you is not easy.”
“The situation at Man United is already complicated then to be in this kind of situation is not easy. This is why Carrick is backing Dalot. This is why Carrick wants Dalot to continue at Man United.”
Carrick will insist on Dalot stay if he remains in charge in January
Romano also stated that Carrick will ask United to retain Dalot beyond the winter transfer window if he stays in charge at the turn of the year. He concluded: “If Carrick will survive and will arrive to the January transfer window, for Carrick to keep Dalot is important, because Dalot can improve his performances for sure.”
“Now is a negative moment, not only for Dalot, for so many players but for Michael Carrick to keep a player like Dalot is important because he’s considered a crucial figure in the dressing room.”
Dalot was a surprise inclusion in Whoscored’s Premier League Team of the Month for October, suggesting that he has done better than stats suggest. With Dorgu back fit, the Portuguese will hope he can return to his preferred right-back position and win over fans.
The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment
Overall credibility: 9/10
Why?
✅ Reported by a reputed source.
✅ Dalot is one of the longest-serving members of the current squad.
TPP view
We believe Carrick is likely to push for Dalot’s stay if he manages to stay in charge until January. However, things could change if the Englishman loses his job.
Featured image by Stu Forster via Getty Images
