Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot was met with ironic cheers and then boos when substituted during the 4-4 draw with Aston Villa, prompting Michael Carrick to publicly defend the player, ESPN reported.
The Portuguese international was taken off in the 66th minute of the match. As his substitution number appeared, the crowd initially responded with loud cheers before the reaction shifted to boos. The crowd’s response followed a performance in which Dalot conceded a penalty that allowed John McGinn to score for Villa.
Speaking on the supporter response, Carrick emphasized the effort provided by the 27-year-old. “Diogo, he gives absolutely everything,” Carrick said. “He’s played in different positions, he’s played left-back, he’s played really well at times.
He gives a penalty away today, that’s, you know, he knows that. Maybe he can do a little bit better, all right, that’s part of it, he’s made a mistake, but he cares an awful lot and he’s giving everything.”
“I like what he brings to the team, I like what he brings to the group, I like what he brings to the whole environment and the culture that we’ve got,” he added.
The penalty conceded during the Villa match was part of a difficult period for the defender. Dalot was also noted as being at fault for Roma’s first goal during United’s 3-2 Champions League victory on Tuesday. Despite these instances and mixed performances throughout the season, Carrick has continued to select the player, who previously served in the leadership group under former manager Ruben Amorim.
“Picking a team and who plays the next game, that’s a whole different decision, but it’s a whole different game that we’ve got to look forward to now,” Carrick said.
🚨🎙️ Michael Carrick defends Diogo Dalot following his poor performance against Aston Villa: “Dalot gives absolutely everything!” pic.twitter.com/WvGnWJ6yIF
Whether Dalot will retain his place in the starting lineup for the next fixture remains unknown.
Michael Carrick on Diogo Dalot: "Diogo gives absolutely everything, played everywhere. He gives the penalty away, maybe he can do a bit better, but he cares an awful lot. I like what he brings to the team, the whole environment. Who plays the next game is whole different… pic.twitter.com/R4cLYVUI5d”
