Man Utd are having a headache with their left wing-back under Amorim.
The left wing-back was key in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3, but Dalot and Dorgu failed to deliver; this wing was exploited by Forest, scoring goals for Gibbs-White.
In the 68th minute at City Ground, Diogo Dalot left the field amidst most of Nottingham Forest's dangerous attacks penetrating the left wing. Prior to that, he had been too passive in the situation leading to Morgan Gibbs-White's goal. From this small detail, Man Utd revealed a major problem: the left wing-back is a difficult gap to cover.
Left wing-back in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 formation.
Ruben Amorim once joked that even the Pope couldn't convince him to abandon the 3-4-3 formation. His loyalty to this structure shaped a summer transfer window worth over £200 million, with new signings selected to serve the philosophy. In this system, wing-backs are the lifeblood: providing width, supporting attacks, and taking responsibility for defense, demanding a high level of fitness to constantly move up and down the pitch.
On the right, Amad Diallo earned the team's trust throughout October. But the opposite side presents a big question mark as Amorim still hasn't found the right players.
Dalot was pulled away from his strengths.
Dalot is effective in throw-ins and is highly regarded for his versatility, always ready to take on any role required. However, his performances suggest he is significantly more comfortable operating on the right wing. After a series of inconsistent performances – forgettable against Sunderland, being the worst player in the first half against Liverpool (although improving towards the end), stable against Brighton then regressing against Nottingham Forest – Amorim was forced to move Dalot to the left wing as a safer solution based on experience.
At City Ground last weekend, Dalot was substituted in the 68th minute. If the bench had a better option, the decision might have come even earlier. Forest constantly launched attacks down Dalot's wing, and in the situation leading to Gibbs-White's goal, he reacted too passively. Given his current form, Dalot's chances of retaining his place in the upcoming match against Tottenham remain uncertain.
Dorgu needs time, Amorim chooses certainty.
Patrick Dorgu – a £25 million signing from Lecce – has been relegated to the bench after showing signs of immaturity. The Danish international is still developing, and with the team needing a win, Amorim prioritizes the reliability of Dalot. Man United believe Dorgu has the qualities to become a top player, but the time it takes for him to reach that potential is another story.
Considering the current situation, neither Dalot nor Dorgu are ideal choices for the left wing-back role – a position that demands both good spatial awareness in defense and accuracy in overlapping runs and crosses in attack. When one link in the chain is not up to standard, the entire 3-4-3 formation will come to a standstill.
Human resources map and urgent needs
In the summer, Man Utd overhauled their attack with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to fill the "false number 10" role in their 3-4-3 formation. At the time, experts pointed out that not signing a new central midfielder was a risk. While the midfield was certainly a long-term priority, the immediate problem emerged on the left wing: the lack of a wing-back who could make an immediate impact.
Given what has been shown, Man Utd will likely prioritize signing a new left wing-back at the end of the season – a type of player who doesn't need time to develop to meet the demanding requirements of the system. Only with enough suitable players will Ruben Amorim's philosophy run smoothly, instead of constantly being targeted by opponents on the left flank.