Patrick Dorgu was among the better players as Manchester United took a resounding victory against Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.
When it was confirmed that Manchester United would dismiss Rúben Amorim, fans were excited as players would be able to return to their natural positions, rather than struggling in a formation that didn’t suit them. But that wasn’t the case for every player.
In January 2025, United signed Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu from U.S Lecce in Serie A. The then 20-year-old was brought in as a specialist left-wing-back along with Ayden Heaven, who joined from Arsenal.
Dorgu made 20 appearances in his debut campaign and has already made another 23 this season, but the Amorim sacking would’ve felt like a blow for the young Dane. The coach who brought him to the club was gone, and he would now have to adapt to a new position. Many expected him to struggle, but he’s done anything but.
Under Darren Fletcher, Dorgu started as the left-winger in a 4-3-3 formation – to many people’s surprise, given Matheus Cunha’s start – and registered an assist for Benjamin Šeško. Against Brighton in the FA Cup, Dorgu moved back to left-back and impressed yet again, as he was allowed to push up the left-hand side and hold the width.
His performance against Manchester City, although one of many brilliant showings, will not be quickly forgotten. Dorgu started as the left-winger in a 4-2-3-1, frequently combining well with Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo. His defensive work rate was likely the reason behind his selection, but his attacking qualities shone through with the second goal of the game in the 76th minute.
Where will Dorgu play going forward?
Carrick will only take charge until the end of the season – providing Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox keep to their original decision – but he could decide Dorgu’s future at Old Trafford.
Starting him ahead of Cunha and an in-form Šeško was a big call by Carrick. In truth, United would have struggled to take victory in the fashion they did without Dorgu’s constant running on the left-hand side, not to mention his excellent finish for the final goal of the game.
Coming up against Antoine Semenyo and Rico Lewis, Dorgu made three passes into the final third, created one chance, scored one goal, made four tackles, made nine ball recoveries and won eight ground duels (as per FotMob) – an excellent all-round performance from United’s No.13.
With Arsenal to face next, Carrick is unlikely to make drastic changes, especially given his comments after the game. When asked about the performance by BBC Sport, Carrick said: “There was so much good in the day. I think I was interested going into the game about how it would come together.
“It’s been a compressed prep, there’s been changes and it’s not always easy for players to deal with that. So we were well aware of how much information we could give them, how much we had to get a balance on that and simplifying it as much as we could.”
Dorgu’s long-term position
To help Luke Shaw deal with Bukayo Saka, Dorgu will almost definitely start the game as the left-winger, with Amad on the right and Mbeumo through the middle. But his long-term position is still up for debate.
If Carrick continues with a 4-2-3-1 formation, Cunha and Mason Mount will push for the left-wing spot, with Mbeumo also eyeing that role if he is dropped for Šeško. Against teams with a deep block, having the additional playmaking threat of Cunha or Mount could prove crucial, meaning Dorgu will be out of the side, or will he?
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United face Fulham on Sunday, 1 February, before a trip to West Ham United on Tuesday, 10 February. Perhaps they will be the games where Carrick begins to experiment with Dorgu’s role, dropping him back to left-back, but allowing him to get forward and hold the width. The left-winger would then be allowed to drift inside and leave space for Dorgu to beat his man and find a cross into the box.
The return of Noussair Mazraoui will allow for more fluidity in possession. Diogo Dalot hasn’t been good enough this season, and often finds himself high up the pitch, struggling to get back. Mazraoui, however, could allow United to operate a Sir Alex Ferguson team of old, with Dorgu on the other side. He has the intelligence to understand when he can push on (when Dorgu’s deep and hasn’t attacked), and when he needs to invert into central defence (when Dorgu has joined the frontline).
If Carrick can get the best out of Dorgu before the summer, the Dane may be handed a long-term role at Old Trafford, even if Carrick is not.
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