Manchester United's Champions League status is hanging by a thread, after an astonishing topsy-turvy 4-3 loss to Copenhagen on Wednesday night.
Erik Ten Hag's United side arrived in the Danish capital knowing a win or - at the very least - a draw was absolutely essential to preserving their hopes of progressing deep into the competition, and they seemed on course for such a result when hometown boy Rasmus Hojlund put them 2-0 up inside the first half-hour.
Things were to turn, however, when Marcus Rashford received a highly contentious red card just before half-time, for what initially seemed like an accidental stamp on the shin of his opponent.
From there, United struggled to hold any kind of control, conceding two goals before half-time to go in level and, though Bruno Fernandes would put them back ahead with just over 20 minutes to play, they would still end up on the losing end of a seven-goal thriller.
Even if Manchester United were not stellar in the first half, they had been the better team until Marcus Rashford's red card, and the game dramatically changed once the Englishman saw red.
Many fans and pundits will raise issue with that decision, and point to it as the decisive moment of the night, but Mick McCarthy on punditry duty felt that once again the Manchester United defence - and, namely, Diogo Dalot - were seriously below par in Copenhagen.
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Copenhagen 4-3 Manchester United: Mick McCarthy rips into Diogo Dalot
McCarthy appeared alongside Richard Dunne on Virgin Media to dissect Wednesday's Champions League action, and zeroed in on the abysmal defending of Diogo Dalot for both of Copenhagen's late goals which ultimately won the game.
Dalot was at fault for both goals, with the Portuguese defender - playing somewhat out of position at left-back - losing Lukas Lerager before he bundled home the equaliser, and then presenting a pathetically lacklustre attempt to close down match winner Roony Bardghji.
"He just doesn't want to get hurt! It doesn't mean enough to him!"
"At least run out with the full width of your body, don't turn your back! You might not block, but still!"
Dunne & McCarthy on Diogo Dalot's defending for Copenhagen's winner. #FCKMUN #UCL pic.twitter.com/IIUV251VoN— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) November 8, 2023
Richard Dunne criticised Dalot for not wanting to put his body on the line for his club, before McCarthy said that he would have slated Dalot in the dressing room had he been manager.
McCarthy broke down why Dalot's actions were so poor, and questioned the 24-year-old's willingness to be brave in defence:
I could guarantee you that if he said to me, 'would you take it in the face?' I'd say, 'yeah, I would have done. Absolutely.'
The first one, when he doesn't see him, it's such bad defending. We're talking about players who are earning millions and cost millions. Look over your shoulder and you see him, defend properly.
For the other one, at least run out with the full width of your body. Don't turn your back...he may not have blocked it, but still. It's just how he approached it that would really annoy me.
Richard Dunne would then go on to double down on the point surrounding the attitude of Manchester United players.
Before Saturday's dramatic late win at Fulham, banners could be seen in the away end reading "play like you mean it," a message the players confirmed they had seen in the aftermath of the game.
Dunne said that Dalot's defensive efforts did not exactly reflect a desire to take that message to heart:
It's the image.
We talked about the sign that the United fans put up at the weekend saying, 'play like you mean it.'
If you're defending, defend. Don't half defend, turn your back on it and then think, 'I've given it my best shot there.' He hasn't.
Manchester United's Champions League destiny is now out of their own hands, with wins in both of their final two games likely required, as well as Copenhagen losing elsewhere.
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