Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has pointed out that he does not want Diogo Dalot to play back-to-back matches as he continues to adapt to his new club.
Dalot grabbed headlines with his exciting performance in Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Young Boys on Wednesday night and many now want him to make his Premier League debut as well.
The Portuguese was struggling with a knee injury when he joined the club in the summer and took his time to recover and return to full fitness.
The 19-year-old full-back impressed observers with the composure and confidence he showed on his debut for Manchester United, but Mourinho explained his reasons to leave him out for Saturday's home game against Wolves.
The Manchester United manager feels at an early stage the youngster does not need to feel the pressure of playing back-to-back games but he is certain that Dalot is here to stay at Old Trafford for a long time to come.
Explaining his plan for the young defender, Mourinho said in a press conference: “I want him in this process of adaption to play totally fresh, so he’s not playing tomorrow, he plays Tuesday again.
“I want him to play totally fresh.
"To play for Manchester United is difficult enough for a kid of 19 years old coming from another country and after an important injury and surgery.
“I think is difficult enough, he doesn’t need to face more difficulty from the accumulation of matches.
“Difficult pitch, recovered totally and Tuesday play again but he showed for the ones that don’t know him very, very well he is not a player to be here just on formation, is a player to be here for positions, he’s a very good player.”
Dalot will now line-up again when Manchester United host Derby County in the third round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.
