Extra practice, recovery and careful diet - Diogo Dalot is set to make good on Jose Mourinho's prediction at Manchester United

There must be something in the Portuguese water. In a season where 21 Manchester United players have succumbed to injury, Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes have stayed injury-free.

Extraordinarily, Fernandes has never missed a United match in four years through an injury. Dalot joined United whilst recovering from a meniscus injury in 2018 and his first two seasons were blighted by fitness setbacks, but he has become one of the most robust athletes and trusted members of Erik ten Hag's squad.

Dalot is in Dubai on his mid-season break and undergoing daily sessions. He is particularly meticulous during the post-match recovery sessions which Ten Hag takes more seriously than any other United manager. On flights, Dalot wears leg compressors to reduce any muscle soreness and maximise circulation.

A source said Dalot is particularly fastidious about diet. The 24-year-old has become more durable since having his eyes opened by the famed Milan Lab during a season-long loan with AC Milan in 2020-21.

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Dalot was available for the entirety of that campaign and became so diligent in embracing injury-prevention techniques he limited socialising to reduce contracting Covid-19.

Several Milan players flew abroad during the winter break and tested positive for Covid when they returned. Dalot eschewed a mid-season holiday as he had researched how decimated Italy was left by the Omicron variant.

Instead, Dalot trained daily indoors in the gym in his apartment. Since he rented in Milan, Dalot has missed nine club matches in three-and-a-half years and avoided injury in two successive seasons.

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