With the arrival of Noussair Mazraoui, it meant not only did United have another versatile defender/player, an experienced campaigner, a former player of Erik ten Hag's and one that is actually Dutch, at least by birth, we had a player who could challenge Diogo Dalot for that right-back spot.
I always felt that Aaron Wan-Bissaka was never truly going to compete with Dalot let alone takeover that position simply because, despite his couple of good attributes, AWB didn't possess the necessary attributes to be a modern full-back.
There was a period where he was that first-choice right-back but once Dalot got back into the team, there was no looking back.
Now, with somebody like Mazraoui, the Portuguese has some stiff competition for his place.
As Luke Shaw is forever injured and his backup Tyrell Malacia being forever-er injured, the only other option we have in that spot is young Harry Amass. He's a player full of potential and has the capability to be our next left-back but would the manager want to risk starting a youngster in such a pivotal season?
There's no reason why he can't be a breakthrough star such as Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho but I believe that the manager would rather someone of more quality and experience. Mazraoui is the perfect candidate.
However, his position, at least in game one, wasn't at left-back as most of us probably thought. Instead, ten Hag used him at right-back and shifted Dalot to the left, with the 25-year-old being able to do a job in an otherwise unaccustomed role.
This shows the advantage of having versatile players.
But moving forward, is this how it's going to be? Is the manager going to use Mazraoui as our starting right-back over the man who was the players' player of the year last season?
Mazraoui was also one of the better players against Fulham on his debut which probably raised a few eyebrows. This gives the manager a bit of a selection headache, which is something that he would rather have than not, when it comes to making up his mind on his full-backs.
Here is a comparison of the two over the past year both overall and at left-back and right-back
Stats via FBREF
When looking at those numbers, you can clearly see that either player wins in certain categories, although Mazraoui does come out on top in a lot of the possession-based stats. Even defensively, he puts up some strong numbers.
Then again, when looking at the amount of games played, Dalot clears Mazraoui by far. That 21-game difference definitely plays a part in swaying the numbers from one side to another.
Mazraoui also played in a slower and less competitive league with all due respect, and playing for the powerhouse that is Bayern Munich, more often than not, you are going to dominate your opponent and be on the front foot a lot allowing him to have more opportunities to be better on the ball.
As we know with United last season, our play style was hit and miss, to put it nicely. We had no distinct style of play throughout the campaign making it harder for Dalot to compete with Mazraoui in certain categories.
But what it does show with these two is that the Moroccan is more than capable of playing a modern, possession-based game - which he did before with Erik ten Hag at Ajax - and we know that with Dalot, he is adept at that play style as well.
It's also funny to think that Dalot scored 2 of his 3 goals when starting at left-back last season.
We still need left-back
While this all seems merry to have two right-backs who can play left-back (relatively well), I still think an out-and-out LB is necessary at United.
At this moment, Dalot and Mazraoui are in fact, are only full-backs.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has left, Brandon Williams is gone, Luke Shaw is parking with the medical staff (as per us) and Tyrell Malacia pops up once in a while for a training pic but then we don't see him again for like, ever. His last match for United was against Fulham,
AT THE END OF THE 22/23 CAMPAIGN!
He hasn't featured for club and country for over a year. I do feel sorry for the lad and hopefully he can recover and get back to some regular football but to be out for over a year is just ridiculous.
Between him and Shaw, we cannot rely on them. There is the option of Harry Amass but do we really want to be asking a teenager to be our starting left-back in an important season? I think it will be unfair on the lad and will put unnecessary pressure on him.
On the subject of injuries, it isn't as though Noussair Mazraoui isn't prone to them either.
The Moroccan does pick up his fair share of knocks, muscle issues, hip problems, thigh problems, arse problems (probably) and illnesses since the start of his senior career at Ajax.
None of them are anything serious, but he can be out for 1, 2, 5, 10 games at a time (for club and country) which isn't a great thing.
If he gets injured and we have the unreliables of Shaw and Malacia, the unknown-ness of Amass, we will only have Diogo Dalot as the available full-back let alone right-back who we know will always be available 😐.
One or two injuries, and we're screwed.
The Athletic have reported that United aren't in for Fenerbahce's Ferdi Kadioglu and that going for a left-back altogether has been abandoned.
With both Dalot and Mazraoui being able to play in that position and Shaw making a good recovery, apparently Erik ten Hag is content with his options.
I find this a little contradictory because not so long ago, Erik ten Hag said that he doesn't think that Shaw will be able to play 60 games a season ever again so how could he be happy with Shaw's recovery knowing that at some point he will be out for a period of time again? And if Malacia hasn't recovered, Mazraoui gets injured and Amass isn't up to the standard yet, what do we if Shaw is out?
Licha Martinez? Of course, he can do a job there but c'mon, do we really want to see the butcher at left-back?
Erik ten Hag has a choice to make at left-back considering his options (which isn't a bad thing) but once Shaw returns, who would he go with as his starting full-backs?
Dalot and Shaw?
Mazraoui and Shaw?
Dalot and Mazraoui?
I think he might as well go with Dalot and Mazraoui because we cannot rely on the others to be available for majority of the season. Get those two used to that left-back spot and see what we can do.
Background Images: Diogo Dalot | Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images via United In Focus | Noussair Mazraoui | Photo by Stefan Matzke - sampics/Getty Images via Bavarian Football Works