United fans agree: Amorim must axe wasteful United man and unleash £27m star in his best role – opinion

While Manchester United had to settle for a draw against Nottingham Forest, one cannot help but feel that the game could have been won had certain United players brought their A-game. There were not many standout performances across the pitch, but Diogo Dalot’s display was underwhelming. Dalot struggled The Portuguese full-back endured what was arguably his worst game in a United shirt. He switched off for Forest’s second goal, playing Nicolo Savona onside, then did absolutely nothing to prevent him from scoring. Dalot was repeatedly caught out of position and had to be bailed out several times by teammates. For Ruben Amorim, wing-backs are expected to be attacking weapons, providing width, beating their man, and contributing with goals and assists. Dalot did none of that on Saturday. He completed just one pass into the final third and failed to deliver a single accurate cross. Diogo Dalot versus Nottingham Forest MetricValue Goals0 Assists0 Expected Assists (xA)0.01 Key Passes0 Crosses (Accurate)2 (0) Accurate Passes21/24 (88%) Passes in Opposition Half (Acc.)8/11 (73%) Passes in Own Half (Acc.)13/15 (87%) Total Shots0 Shots on Target0 Shots Blocked0 Touches43 Unsuccessful Touches3 Dribbles (Successful)2 (0) Was Fouled1 Possession Lost12 Tackles (Won)1 (1) Interceptions2 Clearances3 Blocked Shots0 Recoveries4 Ground Duels (Won)5 (2) Aerial Duels (Won)3 (1) Fouls1 Dribbled Past0 Amorim, visibly frustrated with his compatriot during the game, was directly questioned about Dalot’s struggles at the City Ground. He explained: “If you see Dalot, many times Dalot has the ball with space to make the cross, but he’s a right-footer, he’s always inside without space. “The only thing with Patrick Dorgu, he is going to do the same thing, but when you have the ball go to the side and cross. “The space is there, if you want to go inside, Matheus Cunha is there always to receive the ball.” Surely, Amorim cannot look to retain him at left wing-back. While he could turn to the default option in Patrick Dorgu, the Dane has not exactly been at his best this season either. Dorgu might not offer an uplift at left wing-back, but Luke Shaw might with the majority of The Peoples Person readers backing the Englishman as the ideal option in an ongoing poll. In the poll, Shaw currently leads with 54% of the votes, followed by Patrick Dorgu on 27%, and Noussair Mazraoui with 11%. Interestingly, 6% of voters opted for someone else entirely, while Dalot, whose struggles have been well documented, received just 1%. Shaw proving reliable So far, Shaw has managed to prove himself. His quality has never been in doubt, but his injury record always cast a shadow. Ten games into the season, however, the Englishman appears to have shaken off those concerns; he has been available week in, week out. Granted, he was not at his sharpest in the 3–0 defeat to City, but since then, he has performed consistently well. Against Forest, he was brilliant. Shaw won nine duels, made two tackles, and produced three blocks, one of which denied Morgan Gibbs-White from point-blank range. At left wing-back, Shaw could offer consistent end product and technical polish. He may not be the most explosive down the flank. Still, he remains United’s best crosser, and Sesko would certainly appreciate that kind of delivery (like the one Shaw fed Cunha against Forest, though the Brazilian made the wrong run). United are starting to develop a right-sided bias, with Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo acting as the main creative outlets. Shaw’s overlapping runs could help restore balance, allowing Bruno or Cunha to drift inside more freely. Not long ago, on Sky Sports, the 30-year-old put to bed any doubts about his suitability for the role: “Currently, I’m playing left centre-back and I’m content, but I still see myself more of a wing-back.” Central defence rejig That said, if Shaw starts at wing-back, who fills in as the left-sided centre-back? Leny Yoro could be the answer, with Harry Maguire central and Matthijs de Ligt on the right. Alternatively, De Ligt could remain central, Yoro could shift to the left, and Noussair Mazraoui, who impressed in that role against Chelsea, could slot in on the right. Still, with Lisandro Martinez nearing a return and Shaw looking undroppable, deploying the Englishman at left wing-back (and Martinez at left wing-back) seems the wisest move to keep both players involved and content. Dorgu is still young, at 21, and he could learn from Shaw and perhaps eventually take over the role himself. Feature image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.