Dalot embracing attacking challenge

Dalot embracing attacking challenge

While it was a disappointing day at the weekend in the north east, Diogo Dalot did show again how he is learning to provide the attacking thrust Ruben Amorim demands in his tactical system.

The wing-back burst through to time his pass to perfect to set up Alejandro Garnacho’s accurate finish to equalise during the first half against Newcastle United.

Soon into the second half, the Portugal international rampaged forward again but has claims for a penalty dismissed when he was barged over by Sandro Tonali inside the box.

Dalot’s assist was his second in the last four Premier League games, after also setting up Bruno Fernandes at Leicester City prior to the recent international break, after only one in the division this term before then (for Garnacho at Southampton in September).

Garnacho’s goal at the Gallowgate Video

Garnacho’s goal at the Gallowgate

MATCH CLIPS | Despite the defeat, this strike from Alejandro Garnacho showed great composure…

Ahead of the must-win Europa League tie with Lyon, it is also worth pointing out how Diogo has been in at the sharp end in that competition.

The defender scored against both FCSB and Real Sociedad as the Reds have remained unbeaten in Europe.

When you consider he also supplied an assist, for Fernandes, in the Emirates FA Cup tie against Fulham last month and hit the bar with a header at Nottingham Forest, he is clearly proving a valuable asset in this regard.

“I’ve started being a little bit more up the pitch,” Diogo explained recently to club media.

“I still think I can get into even better positions and arrive a little bit more, and that’s the challenge I have. The qualities are there.

“It is just trying to adapt also to the new way of playing and trying to help the team as much as I can.”

Dalot has spoken about how managing to add ‘one per cent improvements’ to his regime and game is helping him to cope with the expectations at Old Trafford.

A mainstay of Amorim’s team, the 26-year-old outlined why he is confident of being able to continue supporting the side’s bid for European glory this term.

“I always try to see what can I improve on,” he added. “What can I change? I have that type of belief that there’s always something you can improve.

“So I’m constantly trying to see ways of trying to improve my game, my way of life, the way I live, my profession and my daily life. So, I’m always trying to see the best for me because ultimately, if I have that approach, I think it will benefit the team.

“Once you start looking at your body as your tool to succeed, to work, then you can start knowing your body a little bit more,” he said. “You know the timings, you know the loads, you know the best ways to recover, the best ways to push even more. And that comes with time.

“I mean, you cannot ask a 18 or 19-year-old player to know their body like that, and even myself, I’m starting now to understand it a little bit, but I think it will take even a couple more years to be to be in the right spot to understand everything about my body.

“So I’m very curious about whether I can improve my game on and off the pitch to be ready. But like I said, ultimately, I think that’s what we have to do to benefit the club.

“It’s a way of trying to get to the best level if you want to be able to play in the way football is going now, which can be 60-70 games per season if you’re at a top-level team. You need to start to be prepared for that because it will get really exhausting for the body [if you don’t].”

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