One Manchester United player has put up an “amazing” international display after his manager admitted he has been surprised by his defensive abilities.
Rúben Amorim has seen a host of Manchester United players head off on international duty as the March break begins.
Rasmus Højlund, Christian Eriksen, and Patrick Dorgu have all linked up with the Denmark squad, while Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot have joined Cristiano Ronaldo in the Portugal camp.
Matthijs de Ligt received a late call-up to the Netherlands, and Manuel Ugarte has travelled to South America to join up with Uruguay.
André Onana has reported for duty with Cameroon, but Amorim still retains a number of players at Carrington, using the break to rest and prepare for a demanding run-in to the season.
Dorgu impresses with “amazing” display vs Portugal
Dorgu was one of five United players starting as Denmark faced Portugal in the second leg of their Nations League quarter-final.
With Højlund starting after scoring in the first leg, the Danes were also handed an early boost after Cristiano Ronaldo missed an early penalty after being fouled by Dorgu.
The penalty aside, the 20-year-old had an “amazing” fixture, assisting Eriksen for Denmark’s second goal. However, the home side eventually prevailed with a 5-3 win on aggregate to enter the semi-final against Germany.
Individually, Dorgu was fantastic on the night. He won 11 duels, the most of any player on the pitch at the time of his substitution, playing 97 minutes. He won four fouls and had 62 touches, completing 25 of his 31 attempted passes, including his assist.
He also made five clearances and three interceptions, four recoveries and completing 14 defensive actions on the night.
Dorgu’s rapid rise for Denmark
Dorgu’s fantastic performance against Portugal came after Denmark boss Brian Riemer admitted that he was surprised by just how good the player had been defensively.
“He has really convinced me,” Riemer said last week. “I dare to tell you now that I was a bit skeptical in Lecce, because when I watched the games, he was more of a winger than a back, and his defensive skills were… debatable.
“But I have seen him many times now, and I am actually quite impressed with what he has achieved defensively.”
“Defensively, my doubts were there, and there he has convinced me. He has done it strongly. There are still small things that can be done better, but even in the best league in the world, he has delivered,” the Riemer declared.
“I know they [United] play with a wingback, but many times he has ended up as a full-back, and that is why I have had him under the microscope and looked at how he defends. The situations I have analysed have convinced me that he can do both.”
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