Diogo Dalot playing against Chelsea
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Diogo Dalot has surprisingly been named in WhoScored’s Premier League Team of the Month for October.
October, much like September, was a bad month for Manchester United. The Reds failed to win a single match across all competitions, and Michael Carrick is under severe pressure to keep his job as head coach.
United fans have booed the players and directed more of their frustration at the ownership and football director Jason Wilcox, while rallying behind Carrick, a clear sign they don’t blame the 45-year-old for the situation the club finds itself in. It’s no secret that the United players are not performing at the levels they are capable of, which will prove costly for the Reds if this form continues.
However, in some cases, the naked eye doesn’t always equate to what the statistics say. Diogo Dalot is a player who attracts plenty of criticism for his performances, though his stats for October suggest he’s not doing too badly when compared to other full-backs in the Premier League.
Diogo Dalot features in best Premier League back four for October
Although United didn’t win a match in October, Dalot has been selected in WhoScored’s Premier League Team of the Month. This will definitely come as a surprise to United fans, many of whom are critical of the Portuguese international.
WhoScored’s Premier League Team of the Month for October
GK: B. Verbruggen
DEF: J. Acheampong, J. Hill, G. Magalhaes, D. Dalot
MID: P. Neto, D. Rice, J. Henderson, J. Doku
ATT: Evanilson, N. Jackson
WhoScored decides on each player and position based on their statistics over the course of that month. So, for Dalot in October, he played 302 minutes and won 22 of his duels, including 11 aerial duels.
The stats aren’t all good, though. Not only did United fail to win a single match, but Dalot was part of a defence that didn’t keep a clean sheet. He was partly responsible for some of the seven goals United conceded in the league over the past month.
However, to his credit, Dalot has made 258 appearances for United and has been trusted as a regular by multiple managers, including Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim and Carrick. Whether that is down to there not being sufficient competition at full-back in the squad is up for debate, but he’s still a regular in the team, playing on both flanks depending on where he’s required.
Dalot now needs to ensure his performances look as strong to the naked eye. His teammates must step up too.
Diogo Dalot