Manchester United defender, Diogo Dalot, has praised the impact of new manager Erik ten Hag on the team’s mentality following defeats. The team has had a strong start under Ten Hag, winning 19 of his 26 games in charge. This includes a nine-game unbeaten streak after a loss to Manchester City in October, and a current seven-game winning streak following a defeat to Aston Villa. Dalot attributes the team’s improved response to defeats as a key factor in their success this season. He cited an instance after a 4-0 loss to Brentford, where Ten Hag had the team run the collective distance of 13.8kms that they were outrun by during the game, as a turning point in their mentality.
According to Dalot – talking to the Manchester Evening News, Ten Hag’s approach has been crucial in helping the team bounce back from difficult results. “When you are winning games it’s easier to see that and everyone is in a good mood and motivated,” said Dalot. “But it’s when the things didn’t go as we wanted we actually did a good job and actually we bounced back. So we had some results this season that we didn’t expect, especially at the beginning of the season, so the way that we work after that is one of the biggest differences that I’ve noticed since I’ve been here.”
Dalot believes that this change in mentality will be crucial in helping the team become more successful. “I think when the things aren’t going in the way that you want and you bounce after that has been the biggest difference since I arrived,” he said. “I think this is what is going to build us to be in a better position as a club, as players, as staff, as the manager.”
The team is currently on a seven-game winning streak and will be looking to extend it to eight games in their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Charlton Athletic. Dalot expressed the importance of winning trophies for the club, stating that it is an “obsession” and a key part of Manchester United’s identity. “I think it has to be an obsession for us to win trophies, to win things,” he said. “I think you guys feel even more than me, you are here longer than me, that we have to win. This club is about winning trophies. It is about competing and fighting in every trophy that we are in.”
