Paul Scholes didn’t hold back in his assessment of Diogo Dalot’s performance after Manchester United’s 1-1 Europa League draw with Fenerbahce, calling out the full-back for his repeated defensive lapses.
Scholes Calls Out Dalot’s Defensive Errors After Fenerbahce Draw
Despite taking the lead with a goal from Christian Eriksen, United conceded a quick equalizer when Youssef En-Nesyri found space in the box and headed home a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin.
Scholes, a club legend known for his straightforward critiques, voiced his frustration over Dalot’s handling of the situation.
“Dalot’s guilty of this quite a bit,” Scholes said, adding that the Portuguese defender often struggles to close down wingers in dangerous areas.
The former United midfielder stressed that Dalot needed more urgency in stopping Saint-Maximin’s cross, especially with Fenerbahce’s players ready to pounce in the box.
While Dalot has shown glimpses of reliability this season, Scholes believes defensive awareness is still lacking in his game.
“You can’t let a player like that deliver a cross so easily,” he said.
“He’s been okay, but he needs to fix that side of his game if he wants to help the team keep leads in these tough European matches.”
The stalemate in Turkey adds to United’s struggles in the Europa League, where they’ve let potential wins slip against teams like FC Twente and FC Porto.
Scholes reflected on the bigger picture, noting, “These are matches where we should be asserting ourselves. The away draws are decent, but it’s the home games where we’re falling short.”
United’s next steps in Europe now depend on their ability to shore up defensive vulnerabilities like Dalot’s—and start converting opportunities to solidify their position in the group.
