Manchester United's players applaud their fans after the draw with Ipswich Town.
Luke Shaw will soon be hoping to win a place in the starting XI.
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has outlined his plan to move Diogo Dalot back to the right-hand side of the team.
The Portuguese started the opening game of the Amorim era at left wing-back against Ipswich Town last Sunday, with Amad starting in opposite wing-back berth.
Prior to Amorim's appointment and United's switch to a 3-4-3 formation, Dalot had often operated at left-back, covering in the absences of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
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Despite his versatility, he has struggled to impact games from that side of the pitch as much as he often does from the right. He was omitted from the starting XI for the first time this season for United's 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night, but stepped off the bench at half-time, replacing Malacia, who had made his first start since the final day of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Despite helping United seal a second successive Europa League triumph from the left side, operating as a wing-back when United had the ball and as a natural left-back when they did not, Amorim has pledged to try and find a solution to get the defender back to his natural side.
"I think he plays better on the right and we will manage to put him on the right," said the United head coach. "He is a very good player, very powerful that can play both sides and nowadays, a player that can play on both sides is perfect because you can put him in different positions.
"I expect the same as last year that you saw. A great player that can help the team and he is really a team player, you can feel it in every way, he leads the game and he is very important for us."
United strengthened their right-back options in the summer by signing Noussair Mazraoui. The Moroccan has made an excellent start to life at Old Trafford, consistently producing strong performances.
Also capable of playing at left-back, he has started each of the opening two games of the Amorim era as United's right-sided centre-back. However, the expectation is he will have to surrender that position once Leny Yoro is up to full fitness and ready to challenge for a starting berth.
Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui could soon be competing for the same role. (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images.)
It means Dalot and Mazraoui, plus the likes of Antony and Amad, could all be embroiled in a battle to start in the right-sided wing-back berth. However, as a result of Amorim's quest to restore Dalot to the right, it means Shaw, who has appeared as a substitute in each of Amorim's first two games at the helm, could be in pole position to make the left wing-back berth his own.
Shaw, when fit, is United's best left-sided defender, and he should not have any trouble transitioning from a full-back to a wing-back. He was held in very high regard by former United boss Erik ten Hag, who paid him the ultimate compliment earlier this year.
Speaking to Dutch outlet Vi.NL, Ten Hag said: "Luke Shaw is the best left back in the world. This guy is so good.
"But he has suffered a horrible injury at the start of his career and because of this he will never be able to play 60 games per season."
It is no secret that Shaw's biggest challenge is proving his fitness. He has missed too much football this calendar year and United need to manage his work load carefully.
But if Amorim's plan is to move Dalot back to the right, the window of opportunity Shaw has been waiting for might be about to appear.
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