Manchester United fell to a frustrating 2-1 loss away at Brighton and Hove Albion; an unjust result given the dominance that Erik ten Hag’s side showed for the majority of the encounter.
While Man United did well to level the scoreline thanks to Amad Diallo after conceding the in the first half, Joao Pedro scored with a header in the 95th minute to hand United a crushing defeat.
Still, there were some positives to draw from the match, particularly when reflecting on the performance of full-back Diogo Dalot.
A constant presence at the back, Dalot made a total of seven defensive actions, the joint-most of the entire team. These included two tackles, two clearances, two interceptions, and a blocked shot.
One of his standout moments of the game came early in the second half, when James Milner slotted a shot past Andre Onana only for Dalot, the last line of defence, to clear the ball off the goalline.
He also happened to be at the peak of his passing game, completing 55 of his 61 attempted passes for a 90% passing accuracy. He also created one big scoring opportunity.
From the start of the match, Dalot also showed his attacking awareness. Minutes in, he surged up the field to send an opportune cross to Amad, setting him up just metres in front of the goal. Unfortunately, Amad’s volley veered wide.
This was Dalot’s only cross of the match, giving him a 100% crossing accuracy. He also completed his only long ball of the match.
Dalot proved strong in his ground duels, completing four of six, however, he only won two of four aerial battles. He lost possession nine times, a blemish on what was otherwise a decent performance.
On the attack, Dalot completed one of his two dribbles, while his only shot came from distance. After the Brighton defence headed the ball out of danger from a corner. Dalot did well to pick up the loose ball, however, his long-range shot soared over the crossbar.
The full-back’s most glaring error came when United needed him most.
In the 95th minute, United were faced with a Brighton corner. While the defence did well to get rid of the initial ball into the box, Joao Pedro was able to roam freely around the box throughout the play without being marked, in the exact area that Dalot should have been covering.
This allowed Pedro to get on the end of an easy header, securing a late winner for the hosts.
Errors aside, it was an impressive performance by Dalot. Unfortunately, his hard work was not enough to save United from a frustrating defeat.
(Stats via Sofascore)
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