No Manchester United player emerged from Sunday’s disastrous defeat to Tottenham with their reputation intact.
But Diogo Dalot has been hit with the most damning criticism with the full-back’s role in the game’s opening goal labelled ‘criminal’, ‘unthinkable’ and ‘indefensible’.
United found themselves a goal behind after just three minutes with Micky van de Ven capitalising on some meek pressing from Marcus Rashford to pick the ball up in his own half. The Dutchman burst past four United players in a remarkable surge up the pitch to tee up Brennan Johnson, who was unmarked to tap home from yards out.
Johnson was able to stride into the box unchallenged with replays showing Dalot failing to follow his man into the box, seemingly giving up on the edge of his own box.
Noussair Mazraoui, Bruno Fernandes, Manuel Ugarte and Matthijs de Ligt were all unable to deal wit with van de Ven’s run but Danny Murphy highlighted Dalot’s role as the worst in the act.
‘That is the wors part of this goal,’ Murphy told Match of the Day 2. ‘He [Johnson] has made up 12 yards, they started level. Look at Dalot’s reaction. That is just unthinkable’.
Former United right-back Danny Simpson was equally dumfounded by Dalot’s position when Johnson opened the scoring.
‘I see the cross coming, and for Brennan Johnson to have that much space at the back post, I think it’s criminal,’ he told MUTV.
‘I think that’s Dalot’s position, I’m not sure whether he was inverted from midfield or at full back, and he needs to recover.”
‘Diogo Dalot had his hands up apologising – but you can’t have that at any level.’
Another former United star in Tim Howard meanwhile effectively accused Dalot of quitting.
He told NBC Sports: ‘Dalot’s almost stride-by-stride, slightly behind Brennan Johnson. All he needs to do is kick it into another gear.
‘Instead, he stops and puts his hand up. He knows he doesn’t give an effort. It’s indefensible. You can’t protect players when they don’t give 100 per cent effort – particularly at home.’
Dalot has been ever-present at left-back this season, slotting in with Luke Shaw still recovering from injury.