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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Samuel Meade

Ralf Rangnick's Man Utd selection suggests he is on board with Jose Mourinho stance

Ralf Rangnick has been at the helm for over a month now and has attempted to make changes at Manchester United.

The majority of those are tactical but, as with any change in the dugout, there have been winners and losers when it comes to selection.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, signed for £50m back in 2019, was a regular under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Now though, with Rangnick making the calls, Diogo Dalot is beginning to establish himself at right-back.

The Portuguese full-back was signed in Jose Mourinho's final summer but has struggled for consistency.

Solskjaer opted to send him out on loan to AC Milan last term and he returned in the summer but remained behind Wan-Bissaka in the pecking order.

Have Your Say! Should Diogo Dalot be the first choice right-back? Tell us your prediction here.

Now the landscape has changed with Dalot starting six of the nine games led by Rangnick.

Mourinho was adamant United's £19m investment in the right-back would prove worthwhile.

Dalot was signed despite playing little first team football, with his potential very much in mind.

The Special One, who was sacked by months after the signing, compared him to Red Devils stalwart Gary Neville.

"Everybody knows that he has fantastic potential," Mourinho said at the time.

"I don't want to compare, especially not the number of titles but he is probably the same age as Gary Neville when he came into the first team.

"Probably he can follow Neville in this dynamic of more than 10 years as United's right-back, with amazing conditions to improve, because as I was saying he's 19 years old."

Mourinho did call for patience but insisted Dalot was among the best players in his position within his age bracket.

He added: “He has all the attributes that a full-back needs. Physicality, tactical intelligence and technical quality, combined with a Porto Academy mentality that prepares players for the maturity they need at the professional level.

“In his age group, he is the best full-back in Europe. And we all believe he has a bright future ahead of him at Manchester United.”

Jose Mourinho was confident the right-back was a shrewd signing (PA)

Mourinho remains an admirer and has enquired about bringing Dalot to Roma, where he is now in charge.

Rangnick though appears to have made the right-back key to his plans with the player himself relishing the opportunities coming his way.

Dalot said recently: “Every time you change managers, it’s a new opportunity and a new experience. He’s a very experienced coach with a lot of years in football.

“His philosophy is very good in terms of the way that he communicates with everyone and the way he expresses his thoughts to us.”

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