Diogo Dalot embodies Man Utd mediocrity but shameless fans will thank him in the end

Diogo Dalot is a symptom of the Manchester United chaos who embodies their descent into mediocrity, but as was the case when they mercilessly jeered Joshua Zirkzee from the pitch two years ago, the Old Trafford faithful should be ashamed of themselves after booing him off against Aston Villa.

The fans felt so bad about the mistreatment of Zirkzee that they greeted his return and every touch for the next few months with rapturous applause. We can only hope that they take similar empathic shots to the arm before Dalot’s next appearance, which will almost certainly be in their next game against Liverpool.

READ: Man Utd and Aston Villa serve up a nonsense festival that’s perfect… for absolutely everyone else

Thanks to the mind-boggling lack of investment in defence, Michael Carrick has very little option but to pick Dalot; his appearances out of position at left-back offer particularly damning evidence of the recruitment bungling.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Dalot’s going nowhere soon as Michael Carrick sees him as a “role model” in an era in which “not so many players have been so professional”.

Carrick fell short of criticising the booing fans; instead issuing a warning as he explained why Dalot should in no way be the target of their ire.

“We’ve got to be careful with that,” Carrick said of the incident. “I understand the frustration, I understand the disappointment of the supporters. We’re all frustrated, we’re all disappointed, and the players are as much as anyone, I guarantee you that.

“Diogo, he gives absolutely everything. He’s played in different positions, he’s played left-back, he’s played really well at times. He gives a penalty away, 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 and  I like what he brings to the whole environment and the culture that we’ve got.”

A footballer with Dalot’s limited ability should not have played 260 games for Manchester United; that much has been clear for most of the Portugal international’s eight years in the Premier League. He would have been fortunate to play 50 games in their heyday as a questionable squad player. But his consistent presence in the team is not on him.

Four consecutive managers have deemed him good enough for this Manchester United. Carrick may not have been given the funds for an upgrade, but none of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag or Ruben Amorim saw Dalot as one of the major problems to fix.

Booing Dalot while playing at left-back for Manchester United is like walking out of a restaurant that had its Michelin star removed a decade ago and replaced with a poor hygiene rating after a pastry chef botched your braised lamb shoulder. What did you expect?

If Dalot was swanning about like Bruno Fernandes then fair enough – have at it. But he might just be the most committed player at the club.

And no, giving your all should never be enough at Manchester United, but it’s a hugely important quality for a team heading for a relegation battle with a squad seemingly so short of such characters.

Those booing fans will be glad of the Dalots when other less dedicated players down tools when the going gets even tougher.