MU vs Tottenham: Mazraoui ready to replace Dalot on the left wing

Ahead of the Tottenham Hotspur clash, Ruben Amorim's biggest problem lies on the left flank. Diogo Dalot has shown limitations when playing with his weaker foot, while Noussair Mazraoui – after his return – has emerged as a viable option to balance Manchester United's 3-4-3 formation, especially considering the increased risk-taking on the right flank with Amad Diallo.

Context: MU needs solutions on both flanks.

A recent run of three wins and one draw has helped Amorim halt their dismal start to the 2025/26 season, but the cracks on the flanks remain evident. Prior to that, a 0-1 defeat in the Europa League final to Tottenham, thanks to a goal from Brennan Johnson, capped off what has been described as the worst season in the club's history, despite spending nearly £250 million on four new signings this summer.

In the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, the decision to move Amad Diallo to right-back exposed both risks and rewards: he was beaten at the far post by Morgan Gibbs-White leading to the equalizer, but then scored a beautiful goal to save a point for United. When the right wing is allowed to take risks, Amorim needs a more control-oriented counterpart on the left – and that's why Dalot was preferred over Patrick Dorgu.

Dalot and the limitations of playing with the wrong foot.

At City Ground, Dalot allowed Nicolo Savona to break through behind him and score, completing the home team's comeback. Being pushed to the left wing partly explains his awkwardness, but even on his preferred right wing, his attacking contribution wasn't particularly outstanding: 9 goals and 18 assists in 219 appearances for the club.

A comparison within the squad further clarifies the issue. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, often considered limited in attack, has scored 2 goals and provided 13 assists in 190 games. In contrast, Patrick Dorgu, playing purely on the left wing, has only managed 2 assists in 30 games – a figure not convincing enough to assume the role of a game-changer.

Mazraoui – a balanced option for Amorim

Noussair Mazraoui had a difficult start to the 2025/26 season due to injury. In his most recent game, he was used as a right-sided centre-back, but his technical ability allows him to play further forward – he was previously deployed in the number 10 position by Erik ten Hag. Importantly, his data profile supports a role to strengthen the left flank for Man United.

According to FBref, Mazraoui is in the top 1% of full-backs in the top 5 European leagues for tackles per 90 minutes and in the top 6% for pass completion rate. The £13 million signing from Bayern Munich in 2024 has had an impressive first season in England: versatile, elegant on the ball, confident in beating opponents and good at retaining possession. It's no surprise that last season Amorim described him as "the future of Manchester United".

Given the promising performances of the Amad-Bryan Mbeumo partnership on the right, maintaining this structure is logical. Moving Mazraoui to the left wing allows Amorim to both strengthen the wing defense and maintain a safe passing flow, enabling MU to escape pressing in their own half – something Dalot hasn't been able to do consistently when playing out of position.

The significance ahead of the match against Tottenham.

Tottenham are currently unstable, but they were the ones who inflicted a painful defeat on Manchester United in the European final thanks to a moment from Brennan Johnson. In this rematch, the left-wing dilemma will determine Manchester United's control on both flanks: either continue to gamble with Dalot – who is inconsistent playing with his weaker foot – or switch to Mazraoui, whose data and playing record support a balanced role.

A wise decision not only shuts down the left wing but also preserves the "spearhead" Amad-Mbeumo on the right. Based on his performances and FBref data, Mazraoui is poised to become the missing piece for Amorim.