Diogo Dalot has lauded the early impact of new Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick after victory over Crystal Palace.
Rangnick took charge of United for the first time in their 1-0 Premier League win against Palace on Sunday and the German reserved praise for the performances of Dalot and fellow full-back Alex Telles.
United started in a 4-2-2-2 formation that encouraged the full-backs to develop into wing-backs as they dominated possession against Palace and were unfortunate to only win 1-0.
Rangnick revealed he only had a 45-minute training session with the United squad to prepare for the game due to the inclement weather on Saturday but the players responded with noticeable urgency.
The Palace victory capped a particularly uplifting week for Dalot, who started successive United games for the first time since April 2019.
"I think it's down to everyone," Dalot said of the Palace victory. "Not just for the message from the manager but obviously for everyone on the pitch - the fans, the ones that are outside the pitch.
"Everybody was into it and that's what we need to do and keep like that for the rest of the season. But mostly in the next game and build this foundation for the rest of the games.
"It's difficult to change and have an opinion in such a few days, but we're going to have time to know him and he's going to have time to know [us] as well for the next couple of weeks. I'm sure that if everybody's together, everybody's into it, we're going to do a fantastic job. We're going to help him and he's going to help us as well.
“There's no secret that he's a very good manager with very good ideas to play football. Hopefully, we can help them to give us the best that he can give as well and vice versa.
"I think it was a complete performance after what we did today. We get a clean sheet, get the three points, score a late goal, so it was a good afternoon for everyone.
"You need to have clean sheets. You're going to be closer to win games like that (if you do), so it was important to be compact defensively and then we're going to create a lot of chances.
"We needed to score as well. We kept our head clean after a few opportunities that we didn't score and Fred at the end was fantastic for him as well and for the team."
Dalot had only started twice for United this season before Aaron Wan-Bissaka's hand injury against Chelsea allowed the Portuguese to line up in last week's win over Arsenal. Dalot excelled and kept his place in an unchanged team against Palace.
The Arsenal match marked Dalot's first Premier League start since October 2019 and his chances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were so limited Timothy Fosu-Mensah was selected over Dalot at Palace last year in the absence of Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams for what was the Dutchman's first United appearance in more than three years.
"I mean, there's no secret that it's difficult when you don’t play as much as you wanted," Dalot acknowledged. "But it's our job to get ready and I've been doing that for a couple of months now, especially this season, and be ready when my time comes to give everything on the pitch. Help the team, that's the most important thing, and I'm very happy to give this momentum as well and be out there with the team.
"It's my job to be out there and then help the team and give my best. I need to show my best qualities as well. I have fantastic players that can help me inside the pitch and today was one more opportunity for me to give that. I'm very happy with the individual performance, but mostly with the collective performance."
Dalot was one of five native Portuguese speakers who started for United against Palace and he was particularly pleased for matchwinner Fred, who enjoyed an upturn in form under Michael Carrick before scoring under Rangnick.
"I think it's what he does," Dalot said of Fred. "He proves to everybody that he's a fantastic player. He gives everything on the pitch. He leaves 100 per cent of him inside the pitch every game, so we were buzzing for him as well. He deserved it and we are so happy for him as well.
"We (the Portuguese contingent)'re very spread on the pitch, so we can communicate with each other and pass important messages through the team but obviously the other people, the other guys talk a lot as well.
"We communicate well with each other, so we want to keep that as well everybody together but obviously it does help with the communication."
