Diogo Dalot has had a difficult start to the season at Old Trafford but the Man Utd wing-back is starting to find his best form again in recent weeks.
Diogo Dalot
Diogo Dalot celebrates scoring against West Ham and his attacking performances have improved recently
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Ruben Amorim and Diogo Dalot have enjoyed a good relationship at Manchester United since the former's appointment as head coach 13 months ago, but that didn't stop Amorim from wielding the axe recently when his countryman's performances dipped.
Dalot endured a difficult start to the season and was the subject of criticism from supporters as his standards declined in the early months of the campaign. Amorim eventually felt he had to act and Dalot was dropped for the draw with Tottenham and the defeat to Everton in November.
The 26-year-old was hurt by Amorim's decision to drop him, but was aware his performances hadn't been good enough. It might prove to be a defining moment in the season, sparking a revival in Dalot's performances and a change in his game as well.
He has started the last three games, registering a goal and an assist, and it's been notable that his attacking threat has increased considerably. That is no surprise, given that it has become a major focus of a lot of Dalot's work at Carrington.
The absence of European football this season has given Amorim and his coaches more time on the training ground and they have started some one-on-one focused work with Dalot, particularly aimed at improving his positioning in attacking areas down the left wing and getting him into the penalty area more often.
That has been visible recently. His goal against West Ham came when he was in front of goal near the penalty spot. He teed up Bryan Mbeumo at Wolves with a run straight through the heart of the Wolves defence.
Dalot has had 65 touches in the attacking third of the pitch in the games against Crystal Palace, West Ham and Wolves. His previous 10 appearances in the Premier League this season had produced 142 touches in the final third. There were also six touches in the opposition penalty area in the last three games, compared to 11 in the previous 10 games.
That suggests the work on the training ground is paying off and that Dalot can start delivering a more attacking threat from his wing-back position. Much of that work has focused on his positioning on the left, playing as an inverted winger, but he could return to the right flank during the Africa Cup of Nations, when Amad is away with the Ivory Coast.
Diogo Dalot has demanded more from his Manchester United teammates ahead of the trip to Wolves
Diogo Dalot is having a lot of touches high up the field
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Dalot has been a source of frustration for supporters this season. His role has changed under Amorim. While he has always been versatile in terms of which flank he plays on at United, he is now being asked to play more as a winger, especially in games where United are dominant, having been schooled as a full-back.
That has required some adaptation, and Dalot has felt the criticism. As one source close to the player said, he is somebody "that listens to and feels criticism," and people around him feel he has been getting "hammered" for quite some time. His response hasn't been to go into his shell, but double down on his routines to try and work his way out of a funk.
His spell out of the team was never likely to last long. Dalot started 31 of Amorim's first 33 games in charge last season before a calf injury forced him into a spell on the sidelines.
He is trusted by Amorim and his staff, as well as teammates. He has been at United since 2018 and is now considered a leader, particularly in helping academy players and new signings settle in and find their bearings.
It was Dalot who recently lost his bearings, but there are signs that his best form might be returning and that he can deliver the attacking threat that Amorim wants from his wing-backs.