Ruben Amorim must consider one key first-team Manchester United star as an alternative to Patrick Dorgu and Diogo Dalot to ‘fix’ an issue with his tactical system.
Patrick Dorgu started in the left wing-back role in Ruben Amorim’s tactical system in Manchester United’s 1-0 Premier League loss to Everton at Old Trafford on Monday.
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The 21-year-old Denmark international deeply struggled in his position and Dorgu would make way early in the second half for fellow full-back Diogo Dalot.
Dalot arrived on the pitch in the 58th minute and the 26-year-old Portugal international did not fare any better on the left flank in United’s encounter with 10-man Everton.
The United defender did very little to influence the Red Devils’ attack, which was also missing the impact that Matheus Cunha could offer due to his injury.
Forget Patrick Dorgu and Diogo Dalot, Ruben Amorim needs to consider what Noussair Mazraoui could bring to the Man Utd table
Noussair Mazraoui started on the right flank for the Red Devils on Monday evening and only saw out the first half before he was hooked off at half-time at Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old Morocco international might not have lit up the world with his performance, but he was far more effective than Patrick Dorgu and Diogo Dalot.
Noussair Mazraoui impressed Manchester United fans in the 2024-25 season after he arrived at the club in 2024 alongside ex-Bayern Munich teammate Matthijs de Ligt.
The United defender showed his versatility under former United manager Erik ten Hag, who was all too familiar with what Mazraoui could bring to the table.
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Speaking ahead of United’s 1-0 defeat to Everton, Mazraoui insisted that he was more than capable of playing on either flank as a wing-back or as a full-back.
“I always used to do both,” he told United Review, as per Manchester United’s official website.
“So, whenever I was a right-back, I always liked to do the attacking, but I also liked to defend, to catch my opponent, one against one, and just win those duels.
“For me, it’s also a nice feeling, so I think, yeah, those two positions just suit me and I don’t really have a preference.”
Noussair Mazraoui has a much better understanding of the wing-back role for Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim
Noussair Mazraoui reunited with Erik ten Hag and the former Ajax head coach was not afraid to use him at right-back, left-back and even as a No 10 during his reign.
Ruben Amorim needs wing-backs who understand the importance of the role to the overall dynamic and former Ajax star Mazraoui knows exactly what he needs to do.
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“I think, as a wing-back, it’s more going up and down,” Mazraoui explained.
“So, you have more of both sides. A little bit more defending, but also you have to be decisive because you come a lot into the last third of the pitch, the last-third part of the pitch.
“And that asks again something different from you than being at centre-back because then you have to give like an assist or be decisive or give a great ball, where it comes to a chance.”
The left flank has become a growing problem for United manager Amorim and playing right-back Dalot is not the solution, nor is the exposed Dorgu.
With that said, the former Sporting CP head coach should seriously consider taking a page out of the playbook of Ten Hag and experiment with Mazraoui.
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