Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot has suggested that the tactical shift under Michael Carrick has not been as dramatic as it may appear from the outside.
The Portugal international is now in his fifth season at Old Trafford and has quietly become one of the most experienced figures in the squad. Only Luke Shaw has been at the club longer among current players.
As a result, Dalot increasingly sees himself as someone responsible for helping new arrivals settle into the dressing room. He explained that his role has naturally evolved over time.
“I enjoy having that responsibility,” he told DAZN Portugal. “What I try to do every day is represent the values of the club as best as I can. The behaviours and attitudes I show daily are very important to me because I know I can set an example.”
Dalot arrived at Manchester United as a teenager from FC Porto in 2018. Back then he was seen as a promising young full-back. Today he finds himself among the senior voices in the dressing room.
Still, he insists he does not feel old.
“I still consider myself young,” Dalot admitted. “But the reality is that I joined the club so early that it now brings more responsibility. New players arrive all the time and I try to help them feel comfortable. At the same time, they need to understand the reality of the club.”
And reflecting further on his journey, Dalot also admitted that his career path has surpassed the expectations he had when he first started playing.
“Obviously when you start playing football you only think about the passion for the game. You don’t think much about what comes next,” he explained. “At an early stage I would never have imagined playing for FC Porto, let alone becoming the second longest-serving player at Manchester United.”
Carrick’s system compared with Ruben Amorim
Dalot also addressed the tactical changes since Michael Carrick took charge, particularly in comparison with the ideas previously implemented by Ruben Amorim.
From the outside, Carrick’s approach has been seen as a clear shift away from Amorim’s structure. However, Dalot believes the differences are smaller than many assume.
“If you analyse it closely, things are not that different from what we were doing with Ruben,” he explained.
With the ball, the team still builds play using three players in the first phase. Without the ball, the shape changes slightly. Instead of operating with three centre-backs, United now defend with two central defenders and full-backs in a back four.
Even then, the defensive line often becomes a back five. One of the wingers drops deeper to track the opposing full-back when required.
“If you look at the pieces of the game individually, you don’t see that many differences,” Dalot said. “The biggest difference is the profile of the player. Now we play with one less defender and one more attacking player.”
Still, the defender insists the fundamentals remain the same. But he acknowledges that the mentality has changed – and had an impact.
“As I say many times, at the end of the day what really matters is the result,” he added. “When confidence is high, with the quality of players we have, sometimes you don’t even need to say much and players go on the pitch and perform well.”
Role change and attacking responsibilities
Dalot also reflected on how his role has shifted recently. He has occasionally been used in a more advanced position on the wing.
That experience, he believes, has broadened his understanding of attacking play.
“When you play as a winger and receive the ball, you have options to go one-against-one, attack the line, play backwards or find the number ten,” he explained.
The perspective changes when playing deeper as a right-back. From that position, Dalot faces the whole pitch and can distribute the ball in multiple directions.
Despite enjoying the challenge of adapting, he admits the full-back role remains where he feels most comfortable. “It feels like going back to my origins,” he said.
Versatility has still been valuable. According to Dalot, the ability to play in different roles has helped him become a more complete player and increased his tactical understanding of the game.
“When I get those opportunities, I try to make the most of them because I know they will make me even more versatile”, he explained.
Helping Sesko settle at Old Trafford
Dalot also spoke about his relationship with striker Benjamin Sesko, describing their connection as immediate.
He explained that he tried to support the young forward as he adjusted to the pressure of life at Manchester United.
“From the start we got along well,” Dalot said. “I felt a responsibility to help him understand the context he’s in. Sometimes too much water can kill the plant.”
For Dalot, the key message to Sesko has been simple – focus on doing the right things consistently rather than trying to do everything at once.
“If you combine the qualities he has off the pitch with the ones he has on it, I believe he will be one of the best strikers in the world,” he concluded.
Dalot’s comments also underline how his role inside the squad has evolved. The Portuguese defender is no longer simply a full-back fighting for minutes. Instead, he has become one of the players helping to carry the culture inside the dressing room.
As the squad continues to change around him, that influence may become just as important as his performances on the pitch.