Manchester United are widely expected to target new wing-backs in the transfer market as Ruben Amorim has struggled to find a workable solution for either flank this season, and after giving a brutal assessment of Patrick Dorgu on the back of the Dane’s ill-advised use of social media this week, the Red Devils manager’s team selection for the clash with Crystal Palace suggests the 21-year-old could soon be out in the cold.
Dorgu was Amorim’s first signing as Manchester United boss when he joined in a £25m move from Lecce in January. He struggled along with the rest of his teammates in his debut half-season and there are no real signs of improvement in the left wing-back this term, with recent performances leading him to be picked out as a weak link in the United side.
In a withering assessment of his contributions ahead of the Palace game, Amorim said: “You can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touches the ball. I can feel the anxiety. When I see Patrick playing for the national team, he scored a great goal against Scotland and the decision that he made under pressure was completely different than the decision he’s making in our team. I think it’s the decision, he needs to be calmer playing the game.
“I remember the shot against Everton. That was easier than the decision he had to make when a guy from Scotland was there. I saw it when he played in Italy. But again, here is different and sometimes the pressure is hard for them in the beginning. He has time to improve. I just need to understand the context in trying to help them (Dorgu and Dalot). They are far from their best, and they know it. Like a lot of players in our team, like myself. I just look at them, and think they have so much more to give. So let’s see this week if we can improve that.”
Dalot, who’s also been far from his (mediocre) best takes Dorgu’s place on the left, with Amad Diallo dropping deeper in place of Noussair Mazraoui at right wing-back and Mason Mount coming into the starting lineup to occupy one of the inverted No.10 spots.
Dorgu’s snub comes on the back of him failing to realise the media attention paid to social media posts slating the Manchester United manager, and more specifically the players’ responses to said posts.
An Instagram post pointing out the flaws in Amorim’s management of the club which stated ‘Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro CANNOT play together’ received a ‘like’ from Dorgu, or at least Dorgu’s profile this week.
And while Amorim is yet to respond to his wing-back’s misguided social media actions, and frankly if he’s asked about it in a press conference or interview quite a large part of us will die inside, the pre-game comments he did make on Dorgu suggest United will look to bring in someone to play ahead of him as a priority.
Asked why Mount and Dalot came into the starting lineup on Sunday, Amorim said: “It’s the way you train. They trained really well, the others too. Then the tactical aspect. Mason Mount is really smart, gives us more possession. He is intense, he can score goals so is one more player to be near the box.”
Manchester United XI: Lammens, Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw, Amad, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Dalot, Mbeumo, Mount, Zirkzee.
Substitutes: Bayindir, Dorgu, Martinez, Mazraoui, Malacia, Ugarte, Heaven, Mainoo, Lacey.