Another Man Utd loss, another Diogo Dalot nightmare, but at least he’ll be replaced by Noussair Mazraoui, because the bigger problem lies elsewhere.
Darren Fletcher’s tenure at Man Utd is set to end without a win, and a cup elimination to boot, as Man Utd lost 2-1 to Brighton at Old Trafford in his second, and likely final game in charge.
There were underperformances across the board, but Diogo Dalot stood out in the worst possible way for ball-watching defensively and missed clear-cut chances offensively.
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The respite is that Noussair Mazraoui will eventually replace him in the first-choice XI, but the solution to United’s woes is still sitting on the sidelines.
Manchester United players celebrate scoring vs Tottenham.
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Diogo Dalot is a fixable problem
Dalot has caught a lot of flak this season for his below-par displays, as many Man Utd fans believe he has mastered the art of looking busy without actually doing much.
He is regularly wasteful when presented with opportunities, is not defensively solid enough to lock down his flank, and is often technically a step behind his teammates.
His biggest strength is his availability, which has made him an ever-present name in the starting XI for multiple managers at the club.
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However, Dalot is a fixable problem because in United’s strongest XI, he is easily replaced by Noussair Mazraoui.
Mazraoui is with Morocco right now for AFCON, but there is simply no way Dalot puts him on the bench, especially on current form.
Mazraoui’s footballing intelligence is second to none, and he has already proven his quality at Carrington.
In fact, Dalot not being injury-prone works perfectly to solve Mazraoui’s need to manage minutes, which means United’s right-back position is a lot more secure than it looks.
The same can’t be said for the absence of the player who will actually make the biggest difference.
Man Utd don’t have a Matthijs de Ligt replacement
While Dalot is replaceable, United have realised in the past month that Matthijs de Ligt is not.
It’s not a coincidence that some of the club’s most frail defensive displays, regardless of the formation or the manager, have come when he has been out of the team.
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Darren Fletcher claps fans
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Ayden Heaven has been a breakout star, but he’s young and has the odd mistake in him, while Lisandro Martinez is working his way back to fitness.
United simply don’t have a leader in defence that De Ligt was before his mysterious injury, which has now stretched to more than a month.
He marshalled the defence, set the tone for aggression, and was a threat in the air in both boxes, which is a troika of skill set that isn’t replicated by anyone else in the squad.
Dalot is replaceable, Amad and Bryan Mbeumo are returning, but De Ligt not having a replacement at the club is the aching problem of the club’s defensive woes.
As long as he remains on the sidelines, there will be more fall guys for United dropping points, but the solution will remain on the sidelines.
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