Manchester United were left frustrated by their quality of finishing in the 0-0 draw vs Crystal Palace but their performance leaves them a base to work with.
For at least the first 45 minutes, the team was irresistible in attack, leaving Palace in a daze through constant movement.
Just the finishing touch was missing and it looked like the forwards had their fill of goals in midweek vs Barnsley.
However, one man, amidst all the frustration, quietly went about having his best game of the season, hammering home the point that he’s Ten Hag’s biggest success story at Old Trafford.
Man Utd’s jack of all trades
Under Ten Hag, there have been quite a few players who have enjoyed the most productive seasons of their career, especially in his own debut managerial season.
Marcus Rashford hit 30 in all competitions while the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro were world-class then.
However, their form fell off a cliff last season. Not many continued to perform in the malaise of 2023/24 but one player stood out for his resilience and form.
Diogo Dalot became the Player of the Season last year after an ironman display, as he played game after game, and ended the competition for right-back.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka ended up getting sold, so good was Dalot, but at United, the challenge never stops.
Noussair Mazraoui came in and was installed at right-back immediately, forcing Dalot to left-back and the way he has taken to the position hammers home the point of how good a player he has become.
Diogo Dalot the left-back vs Crystal Palace
Barring the Barnsley game, Dalot has played left-back in every game since Mazraoui’s arrival. He starts on the left but comes inside on his stronger right foot to create overloads in the middle.
It has given United’s midfield defensive security, which was expected since Dalot is a defender by trade.
However, against Palace, he showed that he is constantly adding new skills to his bow. The Portuguese defender ran the game from the middle of the park.
His pinpoint pass opened up a brilliant chance for Alejandro Garnacho and he was an all-around nuisance to deal with.
The remarkable thing about his displays this season is that as soon as he is shifted to the right, he reverts to being an old-school bombing, overlapping fullback.
That kind of fluid tactical versatility is worshipped by the coaches. It is a far cry from the loan he was sent to at AC Milan when it looked like his career at United would end with a whimper.
He’s the first name on the teamsheet today and rightly so. The fixture against Crystal Palace proved it again. He’s Ten Hag’s biggest success story at Old Trafford in terms of player development.
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