Patrick Dorgu is the perfect embodiment of Manchester United’s resurgence under Michael Carrick after scoring crucial goals against Manchester City and Arsenal and he can emulate Gareth Bale
12:28, 26 Jan 2026Updated 12:32, 26 Jan 2026
Patrick Dorgu
View 4 Images
Patrick Dorgu is the man of the moment(Image: PA)
"An average wing-back now a completely and utterly different player," Gary Neville said about Manchester United’s man of the moment Patrick Dorgu in the victory over Arsenal on Sunday.
Michael Carrick’s incredible start to life as United boss until the end of the season continued in dramatic fashion at the Emirates as the visitors followed up their statement 2-0 win over Manchester City by beating the Premier League leaders 3-2.
Carrick has ripped out the 3-4-2-1 system Ruben Amorim insisted on deploying for a more naturally befitting 4-2-3-1 system for United. A club built on direct play and flying wingers – sceptics joke about the United DNA, but the two key victories actually embody what that is. And no player is flourishing more than Dorgu.
Patrick Dorgu celebrates
View 4 Images
Dorgu scored a stunning volley in the victory against Arsenal(Image: Getty Images)
JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
Ruben Amorim’s first signing was meant to be the specialist wing-back to make his system work. But the £25million arrival from Leece failed to convince and handle the weight on his shoulders.
Even at the beginning of this season, Dorgu found himself in and out of the team and started just two Premier League games in a run of ten matches. However, as the light faded on Amorim, Dorgu started to finally emerge at Old Trafford as Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo’s departure to AFCON and injuries to Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes saw him thrust into a more attacking role.
Dorgu played his best football for Leece on the wing and the switch forward has made the Dane look like a new signing. An assist against Aston Villa and Burnley either side of a rocket volley to beat Newcastle made the 21-year-old undroppable when Carrick walked through the door.
Patrick Dorgu
View 4 Images
The Dane showed his attacking determination to score against Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)
The United legend has kept faith with him and has been rewarded in some style as Dorgu scored the all important second goal against City before crashing a volley into the roof of the net from 20 yards against the Gunners.
After coming in for his fair share of criticism under Amorim, Gary Neville lauded the turnaround Dorgu has enjoyed since being played on the wing. "Dorgu looked like such an average wing-back under Ruben Amorim. Further forward he looks like a completely and utterly different player," Neville said after the win at the Emirates.
"You can’t really say anything bad about him because he’s a willing runner, he always wanted the ball and worked hard under Ruben Amorim. But you thought, what is he? And how is he going to get Man United back to where they need to be?
Carrick - Dorgu
View 4 Images
Michael Carrick has given Dorgu the platform to succeed at Manchester United(Image: )
"The first time we saw a glimpse of what he could be was actually under Amorim when he played him as a wide right. I thought he could play a bit when he could play a bit higher up and had a player behind him. I thought he could be a good wide player and cause problems and get crosses in.
"Then Amorim put him back at wing-back and you thought, oh no. Looking at him now he’s obviously a winger, he’s obviously a winger. His goal was absolutely brilliant. Patrick Dorgu typifies what has happened at Manchester United in this last week."
It wasn’t just Dorgu’s attacking play but his willingness to track back and double up with Luke Shaw on Bukayo Saka that left the Arsenal star incredibly frustrated and limited the Gunners to nothing but set-piece chances.
Despite his new fanfare, Dorgu wasn’t blind to the negativity around his signing and he opened up on his early struggles in Manchester by reminding fans about his lack of experience when he arrived.
“Yeah, obviously people forget my age, I’m still 21 and have a lot to improve in my game,” he said to his followers on social media. “It was difficult to move from Italy to England, [a] different country, different environment, different people.”
While it’s unlikely he will go on to have the career that Gareth Bale enjoyed. There are crucial similarities between the Dane and the former Tottenham and Real Madrid star as Dorgu appears to be undergoing the career transformation that turned Bale into a world-class star.
But then again you would have been laughed out for suggesting Bale would go on to break Cristiano Ronaldo’s record fee when he joined Real Madrid in 2009 after the Welshman started just 16 Premier League games and failed to find the net in the same season.
Joining Spurs from Southampton as a teenager, Bale was a lightweight left-back struggling for a purpose in the Premier League. Too vulnerable in defence, Harry Redknapp saw the light to push Bale further forward to utilise his incredible pace and direct play.
Soon after the goals started flowing, sensational ones at that. Scoring twice in his first two Premier League games for Tottenham, the Welshman had to wait three years before he found the net again. Fast forward three more years, Bale had smashed in 52 goals and broken the world record transfer fee to sign for Real Madrid.
No one in their right mind should be suggesting Dorgu can explode like Bale did after scoring in consecutive games. However, the path is there for Dorgu to follow if he can continue to constantly provide big moments for United.
Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha have started both games on the bench under Carrick before coming on to make big impacts. The Brazilian in particular is looking to displace Dorgu on the left wing and against teams further down the table, Cunha may be favoured over the Dane.
Article continues below
But that position is Dorgu’s to lose and quite clearly the role that, if he is going to become a success at Old Trafford, he needs to play in.