After Erik ten Hag’s dismissal from Manchester United in October last year, it was always going to be crucial that the hierarchy made the right call with their next appointment.
The Red Devils board turned to Ruben Amorim to fill the void, but around 13 months on from his arrival, he’s still struggling to provide the goods on a consistent basis.
He’s currently achieving a 41% win record in his 56 matches in charge at Old Trafford to date, with the 40-year-old only registering a total of 23 victories across all competitions.
His 3-4-2-1 system is yet to be seen in full flow, as numerous players are still getting used to the demands of the manager’s intricate system in the Premier League.
One player in particular has had to adapt his playstyle over the last couple of months as a result of the switch, but he’s struggled in 2025/25 – as seen by his stats in recent weeks.
The stats behind Dalot’s struggles in 2025/26
Diogo Dalot was signed by United back in 2018 from boyhood club Porto, with the Portuguese star seen as the long-term solution at right-back at Old Trafford.
The 26-year-old has already racked up over 200 senior appearances for the Red Devils since his transfer, but concerns have been raised about his performance levels in 2025/26.
He’s been asked to operate in a more advanced right-wing-back role as a result of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system – a position in which he’s massively struggled to date.
In his 11 appearances in the Premier League, he’s massively struggled in possession, as seen by his lowly tally of just 2.8 progressive passes completed per 90.
Such a tally ranks him within the bottom 20% of all full-backs in the division this season, further showcasing his lack of impact when in possession this campaign.
Going forward, he’s also massively struggled to impress, as seen by his tally of just 1.7 passes into the final per 90 – which also places him in the bottom 14% of other defenders in the league.
When he gets himself into shooting positions, Dalot has also massively struggled in the Premier League, as seen by his tally of zero shots on target, the joint-worst of any player in the division.
It’s evident that he’s massively struggled to impress since the arrival of his compatriot, with the manager desperately needing to address the situation in such an area.
The star who can end Dalot’s Man Utd career
In an attempt to fix the issues in the wing-back department, Amorim has put faith in Amad Diallo to try and nail the place down as his own in recent months.
The Ivorian, who’s primarily a winger, has managed to impress in the role, with the 23-year-old netting 11 goals and eight assists across all competitions in 2024/25.
In the current season, the youngster has continued to impress, already netting a goal and two assists – with his only goal a tremendous strike in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.
However, the manager could be presented with an issue in the months ahead, with the player set to join up with the Ivory Coast national team for the African Cup of Nations.
Despite the issues, the manager could call upon academy star Bendito Mantato to try and fill the void and solve the long-standing problem in wide areas.
The Englishman joined the academy at the age of nine, subsequently spending his entire youth years with the Red Devils and is now a star performer in the youth ranks.
He’s made three appearances for the U18 squad during the early stages of this season, but has managed to impress – as seen by his tally of three goals and three assists.
Mantato, who started out as a winger, has even played as a full-back for the academy sides, subsequently allowing him to make 11 appearances for the under-21 side this campaign.
As a result of his recent performances, analyst Ben Mattinson has already labelled “explosive” – even touching on his ability to get up and down the pitch with his tireless nature.
Games played
14
Goals & assists
9
Pass accuracy
89%
Successful dribbles
1.1
Tackles made
3.4
Duels won
6.7
Duels won
49%
Fouls won
1.3
The youngster starred in the U18s 7-0 demolition of Liverpool at the weekend, with the wideman finding the net early on to get the ball rolling against their bitter rivals.
At just 17, expectations will no doubt have to be managed by the club and Amorim, but it’s evident that he’s a player with bags of talent and potential for the future.
However, if he does manage to continue his current trajectory, there’s no reason why he can’t replace Dalot in the first-team setup and save the hierarchy millions.
The Portuguese international is certainly on borrowed time at Old Trafford, with the full-back needing a miracle to prevent the hierarchy from looking at options to replace him.
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