Dalot in the best form of his career
There was a chance to sit down with Diogo Dalot this week and talk about his consistently impressive form for Manchester United.
The full-back made his 20th Premier League start of the season in the weekend win over West Ham United, his 31st appearance in all competitions.
He has become an increasingly valuable member of the side under Erik ten Hag and, last month, scored the opener in the Emirates FA Cup third-round win over Wigan Athletic and supplied the assist for Kobbie Mainoo's goal against Newport County at the next stage of the competition.
Yet there is much more to the Portugal international's game, as he is managing to combine his defensive duties with regular contributions at the other end of the pitch.
Dalot pleased with consistency
Diogo Dalot believes his - and the team's - hard work is beginning to pay off...
Last Sunday, one of the moments of the match came when he chased down Jarrod Bowen as the England forward made the most of the backline being a little disjointed, due to Lisandro Martinez struggling with his knee injury.
Bowen looked odds-on to plunder his 15th goal of the campaign and score in home-and-away fixtures against the Reds this term.
However, Dalot ate up the ground from his right-back position and threw himself at the shot, making a timely block that earned huge acclaim from the appreciative Old Trafford crowd.
There was more to admire about his performance, not least another crucial intervention in stoppage time to ensure a clean sheet was maintained, and it begged the question if this is the best form of the 24-year-old's career to date.
Diogo found it hard to disagree but, speaking eloquently and confidently at Carrington, he made the point that the team's overall result helps to dictate how individual performances are perceived and appreciated.
“Probably, yes," he replied to club media. "I mean it’s difficult to qualify when you don’t get the results. I think you don’t see it the same way as if you probably were winning every time, every game. But now the results are coming.
"The work that we’ve been doing in the past, I think it’s starting now to pay off. We’re starting to get our rewards from it in the second part of the season. We know that we didn’t start the way that we wanted but now we look forward to these last few months and try to change it. And, obviously, individually, I’m trying to give my best for the team.”
You shall not pass Dalot
Player highlights | Diogo Dalot is his name, and making brilliant blocks is his game...
Such a display of team ethic was to be expected from the versatile defender, who joined the club in the summer of 2018. However, we had to press him on that goal-saving block on Bowen.
“Just to try to reach him," he answered, when asked what went through his mind at the time. "I know that he was in a good position to score, free with the keeper. So I just used my speed to try to get there as fast as I could. And then I just launched so I could get at least a touch on the ball a little bit.
"Fortunately, it was being a good tackle and what it could have been – a goal or a save from Andre – we’ll never know. But I think it was a good coming back up to after a dangerous situation.”
Would it be fair to say it was as good as a goal for the team, particularly at that time in the game, with United 2-0 ahead?
“Yeah, for defenders," he admitted. "I mean we try to see this as a little reward that we get as we don’t score that often as forwards do. So this, for us, is our goals - that we have achieved a much-needed clean sheet. It gives us confidence back there.”
Dalot will be looking to maintain his good form in Sunday's tough trip to fourth-placed Aston Villa. The key, he agrees, has been consistency, but not just in his performances, but also his selection and availability.
This is something he does not take for granted and is further evidence of just how important he has become for Ten Hag.
“It’s something that I try to do it as much as I can, of course, to try to be available for the manager every time," he added. "I’ve been fortunate to be available for every game. So that makes me closer to have the opportunity to play games.
"And, after that, when you have the opportunity, you just have to be 100 per cent and try to be as consistent as possible in the games. I’m happy with the way I’m playing.”
Long may it continue as Diogo and the Reds approach a key stage of the campaign.