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Erik ten Hag is really happy with Diogo Dalot and his development this season.
Manchester United Football Club keep marching on! The 1-0 victory over West Ham United definitely wasn’t easy, though the better side did deserve the win.
The game itself was nail-biting at the end, with West Ham pushing hard for an equaliser. In the end, United’s back four remained firm and kept the door shut.
A large portion of the praise should go to Diogo Dalot. The Portugal international was nothing short of sensational, particularly when it came to defending at the back post.
After the game, gaffer Erik ten Hag admitted that he’s ‘really happy’ with the development of the 23-year-old this season. It’s hard to disagree with what the boss has to say.
Check out what Erik ten Hag had to say on the Diogo Dalot development here:
“I’m really happy with the development of Diogo,” Ten Hag said live on Sky Sports in his post-match interview, per the MEN. “He’s done really well.
“As you [Neville] mentioned, you played in that position yourself, so you can be critical because you know how to play there, but I think his defending positions are growing from game to game. His timing, also his duels, is better from game to game.
“In possession, I think he’s really good and he has the breath to go up and down [the wing]. The development is really good, but I have to mention that a club like Manchester United needs two good full-backs, because we have a lot of games to cover.”
Dalot is largely known for his offensive capabilities, but yesterday, it was his defensive quality that came to the fore. With proper coaching, the right-back is fine-tuning his game and becoming that all-round full-back that he’s always had the skill for.
Whether it’s having a manager who believes in him, playing regular football or a combination of the two, we all have to be impressed with what Dalot is doing right now.
The only concern is that Dalot has a winding down contract. The right-back has limited time left on his current deal, with clubs now showing an interest in picking him up. The player himself has shelved those talks for the time being, as he remains solely focused on his football.
I do get the feeling eventually, a deal will be done and Dalot will commit his long-term future to Manchester United Football Club.
Do you think Diogo Dalot can really push on from here? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.