There is always a reason behind what this guy does. Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Diogo Dalot is “ready” to start for Manchester United against Southampton on Saturday.
The Portugal under-21 international has only played twice for the Red Devils this season – once against Derby in the League Cup and once against Young Boys in the Champions League – since joining from Porto in the summer.
And Mourinho has explained that an injury picked up on international duty scuppered Dalot‘s chances of a Premier League appearance.
“The opportunities will always come,” Mourinho told reporters. “Phil Jones was not playing. Lindelof got injured and Jones had the opportunity to play against Young Boys. It will happen all over the place I believe.
“For the other game Luke Shaw was suspended and now we have Ashley Young with four yellow cards. Who knows when the fifth is arriving? Players must be ready.
“In this case some are going away to the medical room and some are coming back. For example this weekend will be the first call for Dalot. He is ready now.
“He had an important injury, surgery, then a second injury in the national team when he was coming up, when he was already playing against Young Boys and Derby County, when he was almost here.
“But now he has been training for two weeks and we think he is ready now.”