“It’s really close” – Ten Hag speaks about competition between two Man United defenders

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Manchester United's English defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka (R) comes on as a substitute for Manchester United's Portuguese defender Diogo Dalot (L) during the English League Cup quarter final football match between Manchester United and Charlton Athletic, at Old Trafford, in Manchester, north-west England on January 10, 2023. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag has spoken about his options at right-back.

The Dutchman currently has Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka as his first-choice full-back options with Brandon Williams also capable of filling in.

However, with both Dalot and Wan-Bissaka offering different attributes, fans have frequently seen the pair rotated and the manager has broken his silence on why that may be.

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Speaking to reporters ahead of Wednesday night’s important Premier League match at Old Trafford against Thomas Frank’s impressive Brentford, the former Ajax boss, when quizzed on Dalot and Wan-Bissaka, said: “I think it’s really close competition between them.

“Maybe Aaron [Wan-Bissaka] gives you a little bit more defending and Diogo [Dalot] gives you maybe a little bit more offence. But I have to say, I think they both made progress in both areas.”

Over the course of this season, Dalot has 18 Premier League starts to name with Wan-Bissaka starting in eight games.

Although there is an argument to suggest that the Dutchman prefers the Portuguese full-back, there is no denying Wan-Bissaka’s importance to the side, especially in games where the opponent has a deadly left-sided winger – something fans witnessed during United’s Champions League tie against PSG back in 2020 when the London-born defender was tasked with keeping Kylian Mbappe quiet – a mission he passed with flying colours.

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More Stories Aaron Wan-Bissaka Diogo Dalot Erik ten Hag