Noussair Mazraoui’s return will be a huge boost for Michael Carrick as he can replace Diogo Dalot, but it’s more crucial for his teammate.
The Manchester Derby victory showed that even when every single player does brilliantly, Diogo Dalot is often the weak link in the Man Utd squad.
Dalot was lucky to not get sent off for his challenge on Doku, and he stood out as an underperformer on a day where there weren’t many.
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The general consensus is that Dalot will be replaced by Noussair Mazraoui in the first XI, but recent developments mean that the Moroccan’s return is equally as important for another player.
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Noussair Mazraoui shone in new position at AFCON
Man Utd fans know by now that Mazraoui is the personification of a Swiss army knife when it comes to his positional versatility.
In just one season under three different managers, Mazraoui played five positions, including a puzzling experiment at No. 10 under Erik ten Hag.
Barring that call, Mazraoui has been a dependable player for United, always good for a 7/10 performance regardless of where he plays.
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Morocco have been the beneficiary of this trait at AFCON, where Achraf Hakimi occupies the right-back slot with gusto.
The team didn’t want to lose Mazraoui’s ability, so he slotted in seamlessly at left-back instead, shackling the likes of Bryan Mbeumo en route to the final.
Mazraoui was a man in form for Morocco throughout the AFCON, even in the final, which they lost to Senegal.
It bodes well for when he returns to Old Trafford, because United will need him to help Luke Shaw as much as Diogo Dalot.
Luke Shaw will need managing at left-back
Luke Shaw’s ideal position has always been left-back, but he was one of the few players who found stability as a wide centre-back in Ruben Amorim’s back three.
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It was mostly because Shaw doesn’t have the engine anymore to get up and down the pitch like a wing-back, and his minutes and intensity needed managing.
Now that he’s back to left-back in a back-four formation, he’s no longer a “select and forget about” player in terms of availability.
The sports science department will monitor his load carefully at this more intense position, which is where Mazraoui comes in.
With Patrick Dorgu’s surprise emergence as an attacking force on the left wing, United can rest easy knowing that Shaw’s minutes can be managed by Mazraoui’s stints at left-back instead.
In an ideal scenario, Mazraoui will play with Shaw instead of in his place, but the smart move would be to handle Shaw’s minutes carefully.
Mazraoui’s AFCON exploits have made sure that he will remain an option to deputise there.
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