Diogo Dalot is proving himself to be ‘one of the best crossers of a ball in the Premier League’ with the Manchester United full-back producing a sensational delivery to set up Scott McTominay’s winner at Aston Villa.
Slowly but surely, Manchester United’s long-serving right-back is putting the pieces together, Erik ten Hag helping to construct a jigsaw which – when complete – should see Diogo Dalot emerge as one of the leading players in his position.
Not just in England, either, but across European football as a whole.
Sunday’s hard-fought 2-1 win at Aston Villa was vindication for Ten Hag’s enduring faith in the £19 million Portugal international, Dalot producing a defensive display Aaron Wan-Bissaka would have been proud of as well as an 86th minute assist that would not look out of place in a compilation of David Beckham’s finest deliveries.
Diogo Dalot assist secures big Manchester United win
“Dalot is one of the best crossers of the ball in the Premier League,” Stephen Warnock, who won two England caps while an Aston Villa player between 2009 and 2013, tells BBC’s Match of the Day 2 (11 February, 11pm).
Dalot set up McTominay’s dramatic late winner and almost assisted a second of the game for the in-form Rasmus Hojlund, another devilish cross from the right coming within a whisker of the onrushing Dane.
“Look at that for a ball, Hojlund must have been licking his lips thinking he’s going to be on the end of that,” Warnock adds.
“(For the winner, Villa left-back Alex) Moreno) just gets drawn out of position, and then you just see a yard of space for Dalot. What a cross. Just an unbelievable ball. It’s so inviting to go and attack, and McTominay off the bench gets the winner.”
Big three points at Villa Park
Dalot now has three assists this season, as many as he managed throughout the entirety of 2022/23. The former FC Porto youngster set up Alejandro Garnacho’s scorching overhead kick away to Everton in November but, from a technical perspective, the one which produced McTominay’s eighth of the campaign at Villa Park was far superior.
Perfectly weighed, perfectly flighted, and perfectly placed.
“It was an unbelievable cross to be fair, whipped with a lot of pace,” supersub McTominay tells Sky Sports, his goals winning United no fewer than 12 points this season.
“I just needed it to hit my head and get it on target. Full credit to the boys, we created a lot of good chances that may go unnoticed.
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