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If you were asked to name Manchester United’s strongest starting line-up with every fit and available squad member, you’re unlikely to hesitate too long.

As the season progressed, Erik ten Hag’s strongest and preferred lineup became clearer. David de Gea has cemented his place in goal, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martínez make up his preferred pairing of central defenders, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen start in midfield and Marcus Rashford blocks the left flank.

However, the area that would likely create the most discussion and conversation at the moment would be the right side bunk. After Diogo Dalot took over the job for the first three months of the season, he recently faced stiff competition from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

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Dalot started each of United’s first 20 games of the campaign in all competitions this season, a run that was only halted when he received his fifth yellow card of the Premier League campaign in the penultimate league game for the Reds before the break for the World Cup. Cup. With Wan-Bissaka’s United career seemingly over at the time, Ten Hag called up Tyrell Malacia to replace the right-back in a 2–1 win over Fulham in November.

In the build up to the trip to the capital, much of the conversation turned to how much United would miss the Portugal international. He had established himself as an unbeatable figure and one of United’s most important players. The signs were clear from the start of the pre-season tour in Bangkok that Dalot was going to be key in the way Ten Hag wanted the Reds to play.

However, Dalot, who suffered a hamstring injury during the World Cup in Qatar, has regressed significantly since the mid-season main event, so much so that Wan-Bissaka has earned more praise for his performances in the last months. The former has started just nine times since the World Cup, though that was affected by a spell on the sideline after picking up a new injury in a 3-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Charlton Athletic. in january.

While Dalot has regressed, Wan-Bissaka has stepped up and has been one of United’s most improved players since the World Cup. The 25-year-old, whose Old Trafford future was all but dead and buried last summer, has produced a series of encouraging performances, coming to the fore in a 2-1 derby win over Manchester City in January, in both parties. of the Europa League triumph against Barcelona and in the second part of the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, where he came on from the bench to replace Dalot, who had been booked at half-time.

But while his performances have undoubtedly been largely solid defensively, he still lacks the creativity that Dalot offers at right-back. Ten Hag, as Luke Shaw’s performances have shown this season, likes to see his full-backs act as additional attackers and offer a forward-thinking alternative threat.

Wan-Bissaka, while his attacking game has improved in recent months, does not offer the levels of creativity that Ten Hag expects from a full-back in his preferred form of play. Dalot, when ready, is a better option than Wan-Bissaka in an attacking sense, but his post-World Cup form has been uninspiring, to say the least.

Ten Hag, however, has alternated between them frequently in recent weeks, with neither Dalot nor Wan-Bissaka nailing the position down and making it their own. For example, Dalot has started four of the last five Premier League games and Wan-Bissaka has started the last three games in all competitions.

He suggests that Ten Hag, after turning around Dalot’s fortunes ahead of the World Cup, is not entirely set on a first-choice right-back, even though he would consider the former AC Milan loanee’s future at Old Trafford to be brighter. I’m sure Wan-Bissaka’s. . However, the situation suggests that the Reds would be better off moving for a new right-back in the summer and making their chosen candidate their first choice.

Wan-Bissaka, despite his recent improvements, is not likely to feature in Ten Hag’s long-term plans and could be moved at the end of the season, paving the way for a replacement to come in and make the full-back role right be yours. own. However, just a few months ago, you would have said that a new right-back would have to play second fiddle to Dalot.

Now, however, it is a position that raises uncertainty before United move on to the next stage of their rebuilding process under Ten Hag. After prioritizing a new striker and central midfielder, a right-back should also be on the Dutchman’s wish list.

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