Manchester United v Aston Villa FC - Premier League 2026/27 - Source: Getty
Manchester United v Aston Villa FC - Premier League 2026/27 - Source: Getty
Michael Carrick refused to single out Diogo Dalot after the full-back was sarcastically cheered off during Manchester United's 4-4 draw with Aston Villa, pointing instead to the individual errors behind the result at Old Trafford on Sunday (November 8).
Dalot, playing at left-back, was punished three minutes into the second half when he brought down Alysson in the box. United had come from 2-0 down inside four minutes to level at the break through Bruno Fernandes' penalty and Youri Tielemans, and John McGinn's spot-kick made it 3-2. Leon Goretzka pounced for 4-2 after Leny Yoro's attempted clearance went towards his own goal.
In the 66th minute, Dalot, Tielemans and Amad Diallo were taken off. A loud, mocking cheer rolled around Old Trafford as Dalot's number went up, and the Daily Star reported that Manchester United substitute Joshua Zirkzee hugged him as he reached the bench.
Carrick, speaking after the final whistle about the Portuguese defender, said (via The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell):
"Diogo gives absolutely everything, played everywhere. He gives the penalty away, maybe he can do a bit better, but he cares an awful lot. I like what he brings to the team, the whole environment. Who plays the next game is a whole different decision."
He added on BBC Match of the Day (via Yahoo Sports):
"We built our way back into the game and played well, and probably should score more than we did today. The goals are coming from individual mistakes. We need to tighten up."
Substitutes Zirkzee and Dorgu turned it around. Zirkzee converted Dorgu's cross in the 91st minute, and Dorgu headed in Fernandes' corner six minutes into stoppage time. Manchester United remain 18th, with one win from 10 Premier League games.
Diogo Dalot's career in numbers at Manchester United
Dalot joined Manchester United from Porto in 2018 and has made 260 appearances for the club, a figure that puts him above Eric Cantona, Jaap Stam, Andrei Kanchelskis and Dimitar Berbatov. In those games, he has scored 10 goals and provided 20 assists.
He was named the club's Players' Player of the Year for 2023/24, and United's own profile highlights his durability: he missed only one match between December 2023 and January 2025. That availability kept him in the side under several managers. He has filled right-back, left-back, and wing-back roles across eight years at Old Trafford.