Diogo Dalot has sent a message to two Manchester United teammates following their impressive substitute appearances against Aston Villa.
Manchester United travelled down to Birmingham to face Aston Villa, a team on a nine-game win streak, looking to make it ten.
Rúben Amorim’s side came away with more than just a loss, as the team were slammed by injuries to damage them further.
An injury in training the day before to Kobbie Mainoo, followed by a shock injury to captain Bruno Fernandes, saw defender Lisandro Martínez play a full half in the engine room, and young Jack Fletcher also featured after replacing Manuel Ugarte.
Despite numerous negatives from the game, United still managed to be arguably the better team, and they could have come away with all three points, which would have been the case if it weren’t for two beautiful goals from Morgan Rogers and a brief lapse in concentration at the back that proved costly.
Youngsters handed huge responsibility
With Noussair Mazraoui, Bryan Mbeumo, and Amad all away at AFCON, and both Mainoo and Fernandes out injured, Amorim will need his academy now more than ever.
In an interview after the game, Diogo Dalot highlighted the significance of the two debutants, Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey, for the team in the near future.
“This is the time that opportunities come for other players and the time you step up and show you deserve to be in the team and play more minutes.
“I think that’s how the players who get the opportunities should be looking at it. We are Manchester United, and we have to find a way to win.”
“I’m happy that they were able to make their debuts.”
Amorim has faced numerous questions about his trust in the youth, with some assuming he has a reluctance to give them minutes. But, in the coming weeks, they will get their chance to prove that they should have been playing much sooner.
Can they become starters for Amorim?
Amorim has said that he is unsure about the extent of Fernandes and Mainoo’s injuries, so for the time being, they are not an option.
In Fletcher’s case, Martinez somewhat established himself as a midfielder against Villa, and Casemiro is set for a return in the Newcastle game after serving his suspension. However, neither are creative midfielders, unlike Darren Fletcher’s son, who has played as high as a No.10 for the U21S.
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As for Lacey, United have grown accustomed to having a left-footer on the right side, with Amad and Mbeumo shining so far this season. Therefore, Amorim may prefer the 18-year-old over a struggling Joshua Zirkzee or Benjamin Sesko, although Bendito Mantato is also an option for that position.
The situation is far from ideal for Amorim: losing so many options from his starting XI, but it does make room for a hungry, young talent to become a hero for his Reds.
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