Diogo Dalot warns Man United teammates they must not take Champions League for granted after playing 'nowhere near' enough games in 2025-26

The 2025-26 season has been a sobering experience for the red half of Manchester. With early exits from domestic cups and a complete absence from European competition, the club is on track to play its fewest matches since the 1914-15 season. For a club of United's stature, the lack of midweek action is a glaring void.

Despite the lack of European nights this term, there is a sense of burgeoning optimism at the Theatre of Dreams. Under the temporary guidance of Michael Carrick, United have undergone a drastic transformation in form. The 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday propelled them into third place, their highest league standing since 2023. This resurgence has put them in a prime position to secure a top-four finish, which Dalot insists must be treated as the bare minimum going forward.

Dalot was blunt about the current situation, stating: "I think seasons like this are good for you to know that when you're playing Europa League and especially Champions League, those are the best years, those are the best seasons. This year we play, I don't know, maximum 40 games because we came out of the cups even in the early stage, so this is nowhere near what the club should be and the competitions that we should play in."

He added: "So when we are there, when we get the main goal that I really believe that we're going to do next season, if we're playing Champions League, we cannot take for granted. We need to put the club back in there."

The victory over Palace was another example of the grit Carrick has instilled in the side. Trailing early to a Maxence Lacroix header, United fought back with goals from Bruno Fernandes and the red hot Benjamin Sesko. Dalot believes these ugly wins are the hallmark of a side destined for the top. "We are very conscious that for us to be able to do that, we have to do games like today, where you don't control for 90 minutes, where sometimes you don't play like you should, but you find ways to win. And I think that's what defines sometimes those who stay at the top of the table and those who start dropping points and dropping places. We've been there, so I think this season, if we want to get to the end of the season and have the goal that we want, we need games like this."

A central figure in this revival remains club captain Bruno Fernandes. Despite reaching the incredible milestone of 200 goal involvements for the club - eclipsing the likes of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs - Dalot feels his compatriot is still undervalued by some sections of the football world, and his future remains a topic of debate even as he continues to carry the offensive load for Carrick's side.

Dalot was quick to jump to his captain's defence when asked if the playmaker is also taken for granted: "A little bit, I think. When you're so consistent, when you play for many years at a very high level, sometimes when you're not there for one game people start doubting and people start always thinking that you should do that all the time. But that's the most difficult thing in football, for you to be consistent during the whole season, whether you're going to have ups and downs, but he's always a player and person who shows up all the time and he never hides, so I think that's what this club needs."

The atmosphere at Old Trafford has shifted significantly during this unbeaten run. Carrick has successfully re-established a connection between the dugout and the stands that many fans feel has been missing for years. The interim boss has proven he can navigate moments of adversity, such as several tactical "tweaks" at half-time that inspired the recent comeback. Dalot credited Fernandes’ on-pitch leadership as a key extension of Carrick’s vision, noting how the captain guides his teammates through difficult spells.

"It's important because it keeps you alive during the game at every moment," Dalot said regarding the communication between the experienced stars. "He's a player who can read the game really well and can read pretty much all the positions on the pitch. So he always likes to guide you on that. If he has something that he believes that he can help you with, he will say it no problem." With the top-five race heating up, United's senior core appears more determined than ever to ensure that a season without European football remains an anomaly rather than the new norm.