Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot insists that the players must be willing to suffer. This comes after Ruben Amorim had decided to leave out Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho for the Derby game against Manchester City, which the Red Devils won.
Rashford and Garnacho were left out of the 19-man squad for Sunday’s Derby against Manchester City. Manchester United showed a resilient display, which saw them return from behind to win 2-1 at the Etihad. Amad Diallo stole the headlines as he was undoubtedly declared man of the match after scoring the winner and winning the penalty, which put the red side of Manchester level through Bruno Fernandes.
Rashford had a subpar performance midweek against Viktoria Plzen, which saw him subbed off just before the hour mark. The substitute, Rasmus Hojlund, scored a brace, eventually winning the Manchester United game.
Garnacho was also left out, with the manager evaluating the situation, stating: “ I evaluate everything, the way you eat, the way you dress. I make my decision based on that.” The Portuguese, however, did not openly say it, but indirectly, he might’ve mentioned Garnacho’s Twitter antics, where he reportedly leaked Manchester United lineup news in a group chat and was caught.
However, Amorim proved that his decision to drop the two was spot on, setting an example for the rest of the team and getting the three points. Diogo Dalot specifically stated after the match how the United side showed grit, determination, and perseverance. It perfectly mirrored the culture and philosophy the Portuguese manager has instilled in the players in such a short period, and whoever does not follow it won’t survive.
Diogo Dalot said, as reported by the Independent, “Think it’s clear it’s coming from him. The message was clear from the beginning: if you want to succeed and if you want to thrive, you have to suffer. That’s not just in football but in life. If you want to have success, you have to work hard and suffer. I think the message is really clear. If you want to succeed at this club, you have to suffer, and if you’re ready to do that with us, we’re going to be a good team. If you’re not, there’s no space for you.”
It should be noted that Dalot is also under the firing line, just like Rashford and Garnacho. The Portuguese star has played as a left-back for most of this season due to the injuries of Luke Shaw and Tyrel Malacia. He is now under his fourth full-term manager at Manchester United after being signed by Jose Mourinho in 2018. He was also deployed as a right-back under Erik ten Hag earlier this season before the Dutchman was sacked.
The 25-year-old Diogo Dalot has highlighted how the new manager is trying to instill in the players a mentality that they must “suffer” and put in the extra effort to survive. This mentality and mindset have been notably absent among the Manchester United players since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club.
Rashford, however, may have very little time and chance to turn things around in his favor as he’s been reportedly put up for sale. Manchester United will immediately be receptive to offers in the January transfer window. Love them or not, the Red Devils’ journey highlights the unpredictable drama of football. Keep watching as Manchester United strive to reshape their season in the coming weeks!
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