Diogo Dalot has issued a rallying cry to his Manchester United teammates, demanding they harness their "anger and drive" following another costly Premier League setback.
Frustration After Missed Opportunity
The defender spoke out after United conceded a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with West Ham at Old Trafford earlier this week. Dalot had given the home side the lead in the 58th minute, but the visitors snatched a point from a corner in the dying moments. The result prevented United from climbing to fifth place in the table.
Speaking in the mixed zone post-match, Dalot did not conceal his disappointment. "We are very disappointed. We cannot concede a goal like that, we have to control the game more," he told reporters. "We should have done the same as we did for 60 minutes and tried to score the second. We had the game there."
A Call for Obsession and Internal Drive
Dalot revealed the dressing room conversation centred on maintaining intensity. "Just that feeling - we cannot drop the intentions that we had to score a goal, to go out for the second one," he explained, as reported by the Manchester Evening News. He emphasised the need to avoid counter-attacks, knowing set-pieces were a key threat from David Moyes's side.
When questioned on the team's inconsistency, the Portuguese full-back pointed to a need for greater internal motivation, sometimes beyond pure footballing ability. "Sometimes, it's not football qualities. It has to be from inside. It has to be from the anger and the drive that you have every day to win football games," Dalot stated.
He continued with a powerful message: "I think we need to become a bit more obsessed about playing for this club, winning games and winning trophies for this club." While acknowledging a process, Dalot insisted on immediate results: "I think we have to win straight away because that's what the club demands. That's why it hurts sometimes even more when we have opportunities like this and we don't win."
Personal Response and Manager's Challenge
Dalot's comments come after a period where he lost his starting place to Patrick Dorgu, finding himself on the bench for the match against Everton. Manager Ruben Amorim had previously suggested that neither player was translating training form onto the pitch.
However, Dalot responded positively upon his return, contributing to the win against Crystal Palace before scoring against West Ham. Asked about Amorim's public challenge, Dalot took a team-focused view: "I think it's something in general. He could be talking about me, but I think he could be talking about everyone at the club. We always have to find ways to improve ourselves, be more consistent."
He concluded by accepting the unique pressure at Old Trafford: "We are in a team where you're as good as your last game. Fortunately, I'm here long enough to understand how it works and find a way to help the team. I think that's the aim for everybody." With the race for European places intensifying, Dalot's call for a fiercer mentality will be tested in United's upcoming fixtures.
