Back
Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu has admitted that he remains deeply frustrated with the club's position in the Premier League relegation zone, despite scoring a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser in their entertaining 4-4 draw against Aston Villa. According to a report by GOAL on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the Denmark international insists that his late contribution cannot provide much satisfaction while the Red Devils continue to struggle near the bottom of the table.
Dorgu became United's unlikely hero at Old Trafford after heading home in the sixth minute of added time to secure a point for Michael Carrick's side. His decisive effort came just four minutes after Joshua Zirkzee had scored to reduce Villa's advantage, completing an extraordinary late comeback.
Nevertheless, the defender made it clear that rescuing a draw was not enough to improve his mood, particularly with United still occupying a place in the bottom three. Despite their impressive recovery against Unai Emery's team, the result left them one point away from escaping the relegation zone.
Manchester United had entered Sunday's encounter under considerable pressure after Nottingham Forest defeated Manchester City on Saturday, a result that pushed Carrick's men into the bottom three. Although they demonstrated considerable determination to recover from a difficult position against Villa, their failure to secure victory meant their league situation remained unchanged.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle, Dorgu expressed his disappointment with United's current standing and challenged his teammates to accept responsibility for the club's predicament.
The defender stressed that everyone in the squad must work collectively to improve the team's results rather than focusing solely on individual contributions. He also encouraged his colleagues to examine their own performances honestly and consider whether they were doing enough to help Manchester United overcome their difficulties.
Dorgu acknowledged how painful it was for the club to find itself in the relegation zone but remained conscious that the season still had several matches to offer. He therefore called on the players to return from international duty with the determination and readiness required to collect victories when the Premier League resumes.
United's defensive weaknesses were once again exposed during the meeting with Aston Villa, who established a commanding two-goal advantage through Alysson and Nicolas Jackson within the opening four minutes.
Bruno Fernandes subsequently converted a penalty to give the hosts hope before former Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans restored parity shortly before half-time. However, the visitors regained control after the interval when John McGinn scored from the penalty spot following Diogo Dalot's foul on Alysson. Leon Goretzka then extended Villa's advantage to 4-2.
United refused to surrender, with Zirkzee and Dorgu finding the net in the closing stages to complete an extraordinary comeback. Their achievement also made them the first Premier League team to recover from two separate two-goal deficits in the same match.
Carrick praised Dorgu's influence after the encounter, explaining that the club had carefully managed the defender's involvement before introducing him as a substitute. The manager also recognised the need to address United's defensive shortcomings while identifying encouraging aspects of their recent performances.
The Red Devils covered 120.8 kilometres against Villa, their highest running distance under Carrick in 2026. However, Dorgu's message underlines that determination alone will not solve their problems. United must convert their fighting spirit into consistent victories if they are to climb out of the relegation zone and improve their position in the Premier League.