'Sacrifice and fighting against the world' - Diogo Dalot responds to Sir Jim Ratcliffe 'not good enough and overpaid' jibe as full-back explains 'desire' Man Utd stars must have

The INEOS chief criticised some of the Manchester United players for their poor displays on the pitch in 2024-25 in a series of interviews he gave earlier this week. Full-back Diogo Dalot has now responded to the co-owner's jibe as he vowed to put the club 'back on top'.

Speaking to reporters, the Portuguese defender said: "I think the history of this club is about sacrifice and fighting against the world. It’s about sacrificing yourself, and each other, every moment on the pitch and being together with the fans to create the energy we all feel in Old Trafford. This is the history of the club. If you want to be successful, you have to have that desire to try to do everything on the pitch. Whether you like it or not, the attitude has to be there.

"It is clear that when we are 14th or 15th in the league we are not doing what we should. If we want to put Manchester United back on top, we need to do much better. Ultimately, this club will only progress through what we do on the pitch, so we are all responsible for the future and the momentum. We know that we have that responsibility - but we want to take it. The pressure is high but we are Manchester United players for a reason."

Dalot added: "If you are a top footballer you need to be able to change things quickly. But obviously it does take time because we have been playing in the last few years in a different way. You can see this is a period of change, especially since INEOS have come in. The club wants to go in a direction. They want to rebuild Man United and put Man United back on top. I hope in the next couple of years we can go there. I think you are now seeing a much better team than a couple of months ago. When we talk about needing time, we aren’t saying that just to buy time. I think it is something that is going to happen.

"Obviously it is difficult when you play for a club like this because you must improve by always winning. The pressure is always high to win every game and when results don't come, it's difficult to show progress. But I think in the last couple of games you have seen something different. There have been different styles of play, but overall we are improving, I think. It’s something everyone can see, but results will ultimately show our position."

The Red Devils will be back in action on Sunday as they take on Leicester City in a Premier League away fixture.