Update: Manchester United are seeing a major improvement in their problem position under Ruben Amorim News

One of the key areas in the Man United team that needed addressing under Ruben Amorim was on the left wing.

One of the buzzphrases at Manchester United since Ruben Amorim’s appointment is “the way of playing”.

Omar Berrada echoed Amorim last month: “Ultimately Ruben himself has said it, it’s not about the 3-4-3 tactical formation, it’s about an idea, a concept of how he wants to see the team playing.”

That way of playing was embraced by Harry Amass on his first Old Trafford start for the first team against Wolves. Amass delivered two admirable crosses that none of the United forwards anticipated.

Results in the Premier League will not come until new players come in. But in recent weeks, United’s wingers have become integral to their progressive performance level.

And they are wingers. In the 3-4-2-1 system, the emphasis on the widemen has to be to attack, not defend.

Patrick Dorgu, the first senior signing of the Amorim era, has redressed the balance that was compromised by Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot filling in on the flanks. Mazraoui now seems poised to be converted into a full-time centre back and Dalot has reverted to the right wing over the last month.

Erik ten Hag bungled left back at United: signing Tyrell Malacia, a new contract for Luke Shaw, signing Sergio Reguilon, selling Alvaro Fernandez and no debut for Amass. That problem position has been eased by Dorgu and Amass.

Dalot has started 27 times on the left this season, at left back and left wing. He has gone back and forth at times like a tennis rally.

Since Dalot switched to the right in the second half away to Leicester City on March 16, he has assisted two goals and scored against Lyon. His strike against Real Sociedad was also as a right winger. Amorim has naturally leant on Dalot, a fellow Portuguese who is always available and versatile.

Against Lyon last week, Dalot recorded 77 touches, completed 39 of his 49 passes (with an 80% accuracy), completed two out of four dribbles and made one key pass that created a big chance. He had three shots at goal.

Dalot demonstrated last season he is a threat from direct balls by charging to the apex of the attack. He was denied away at Luton Town but scored United’s winning goal against Brighton on the final day of the Premier League season.

The Portugal international is the highest-scoring defender in the Europa League this season with three goals. Dalot’s output of three goals and five assists is his best in a campaign for United.

He has demonstrably benefited from the arrival of the left-footed Dorgu. Although Dorgu is a left back by trade, he has been recruited to provide service for the forwards and his impact in the Europa League round-of-16 second leg against Real Sociedad was pivotal. Dorgu won the tie-winning penalty that Bruno Fernandes converted and was responsible for Jon Aramburu’s dismissal.

Beyond goals, assists and matchwinning moments, Dalot and Dorgu have been directly involved in several goalscoring chances of late.

Just consider: post-Sociedad, there was Dalot’s assist at Leicester, Dorgu’s chance for Harry Maguire at Forest and Joshua Zirkzee against Manchester City, Dalot crossing for Alejandro Garnacho against City, Dorgu doing likewise for Garnacho and Hojlund in Lyon, Dalot’s cut-back for Fernandes’ goalbound strike, Dalot’s assist for Garnacho at Newcastle, Dalot’s goal against Lyon and Dorgu’s ground cross that evaded Hojlund in the same half.

Mazraoui is not an attack-minded full back but, with all hands to the pump at Forest, his centre ended with Murillo clearing Maguire’s scrambled shot off the line. There were glimpses of progress before the Dalot-Mazraoui axis was disbanded four days before the Sociedad second leg in the second half against Arsenal. Mazraoui had a glaring chance to turn in Dalot’s cross for his first United goal but struck too close to David Raya.

Amass was delivering reliably against Wolves but found nobody at home to receive his service. He has quickly got up to speed with the way of playing.