Manchester United managed to hold Arsenal to a draw at Old Trafford, but few players were more frustrated by the game than Red Devils' full-back Diogo Dalot
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Diogo Dalot of Manchester United applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on March 09, 2025 in Manchester, England
Diogo Dalot spoke honestly after the game(Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
Diogo Dalot rued Manchester United's missed chances against Arsenal before unveiling the Red Devils' plan that shackled Martin Odegaard.
Dalot, 25, was shifted over to left-wing-back to fill in for the suspended Patrick Dorgu against the Gunners. The Portuguese defender enjoyed an impressive display and would have been celebrating a wonderful assist for Noussair Mazraoui, were it not for the outstretched leg of Gunners' goalkeeper David Raya.
While United had their chances, they had to man the barricades when Arsenal turned up the pressure after Declan Rice's equaliser. After the match, the experienced full-back provided a glimpse into Ruben Amorim's approach towards the contest.
He said: "Yes, we had a well-defined plan. From goal kicks, we pressed a bit higher to force them to play longer and win second balls. If we couldn’t press high, we dropped back a bit more and stayed compact.
"I think it would be difficult for them to break through a lower block. We defended the area well in the first half, which was very important because we had some difficulties defending, especially on the left side when Odegaard came to receive the ball.
"There were a lot of players there, and it was difficult for us to figure out how to defend it. At half-time, we corrected that and improved as well. I think the second half was much better.
Martin Odegaard of Arsenal in actionduring the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on March 09, 2025 in Manchester, England
Dalot admitted things became harder when Odegaard got on the ball
(Image: Getty Images)
"With the ball, we managed to find spaces that we hadn’t found in the first half. We were more confident obviously because we were winning 1-0. In the end, I think we could have won the match. We had slightly clearer chances than they did, but overall I think it was a good match."
The result did little to affect United's poor campaign, but it did mean United have taken five points from clashes against Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool under Amorim. It also lifted United into 14th position, albeit having played one match more than West Ham United.
Nevertheless, Amorim was pleased with the Reds' fight and character. He told Sky Sports: "When you coach Manchester United, you cannot play too much like that but the idea is to win the game and not to show something just to the fans.
Ruben Amorim, head coach of Manchester United, during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on March 09, 2025 in Manchester, England
Amorim was pleased with United's fight against Arsenal
(Image: Getty Images)
"I know that it's frustrating for the fans sometimes but then when you score and you feel comfortable and then you have a lot of opportunities, the game changes, the momentum changes and they are happy. So we have to deal with that.
"Sometimes we have to do things that are not popular but if you want to win and imagine one way to win, we have to do it because in the end, we need the points."
United have a must-win clash against Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie on March 13. The Red Devils secured a 1-1 draw away in the Basque country, but with away goals no longer a factor, United will need a victory to avoid extra-time and penalties against the La Liga giants.
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