This weekend, as Manchester United prepare for the Manchester derby in the Premier League, Dalot will make his 250th appearance for the club. Ahead of this milestone, the Manchester United defender sat down for an interview with ESPN's Manchester United correspondent, Rob Dawson. He discussed his nine years at Manchester United, why he has stayed at the club, his responsibility in helping younger players, the strength of Carrick's coaching at Manchester United, the Manchester derby, and helping Manchester United return to the top, among other topics. Below is the second part of this exclusive interview.

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【Dalot: We haven't truly competed for the Premier League title yet; excited to be part of Manchester United's return to glory】

【Dalot: Before the derby, I basically don't contact my Portuguese Manchester City teammates; we'll discuss the match during training camp】

When you talk about "helping others," do you feel that's now your responsibility as part of the leadership group? Because young players typically focus only on themselves when they first arrive, trying to adapt. Now that you have more experience, when new players arrive, do you feel obliged to tell them: "No, at Manchester United, we do things this way"?

Of course. I remember when I first joined, there were some older teammates who had been at the club for a long time, and they gave me a lot of guidance and support in understanding certain principles – for example, sometimes when you're down, things aren't as bad as you imagine; and sometimes when you feel good about yourself, you should maintain vigilance and awareness of potential problems. Because people often misunderstand criticism; criticism isn't always a bad thing, it's often constructive advice, and you must actively take responsibility and show ownership. You can never adopt the attitude of "I don't read any news" or "I don't care what outsiders say."

Sometimes you have to care, because that concern translates into drive and responsibility to make you better. The key is understanding and finding balance: distinguishing which advice is truly valuable for you and understanding how to become a better player. Similarly, when the team performs well, the outside world will praise you to the heavens, making you feel like one of the best in the world, but this often isn't enough to maintain your focus throughout the season, because once you become too complacent and then face setbacks, you'll fall hard. After so long at Manchester United, I believe it's my responsibility to help my teammates see reality, to make them understand that sometimes things aren't as bad as they seem, but sometimes they're also far from perfect. So yes, I think this is clearly one of my core roles now, and I'm genuinely proud to take on this responsibility.

Michael Carrick seems very good at maintaining this mental balance – never too high or too low, especially when dealing with the media. Do you sense that from him?

Absolutely. I think that's one of his most remarkable qualities. Although I couldn't play alongside him as a teammate – he was already an assistant coach when I arrived – I can imagine he was just as calm as a player. To establish yourself at Manchester United over so many years, you have to possess this very calm and stable playing style and character. It's one of his greatest strengths. As a legendary Manchester United veteran, he knows exactly what it means to play away at Leeds United or Anfield, and he understands the significance of hosting Manchester City. Both as a player and as head coach, this deep experience gives him a huge advantage. So he's always able to transmit the right energy to us in critical moments, keeping us in the right mindset; but at the same time, when matches aren't going well, he'll make sure we feel the pain and urgency deeply.

On Sunday, you'll face a big match at home against Manchester City. You just mentioned your desire for greater achievements. Is it very difficult to play for Manchester United during a successful period for your city rivals?

Yes, I won't sugarcoat it and say it doesn't hurt, because honestly it's painful. Especially in direct meetings. There was a time, for several seasons, when we couldn't even compete with them at all. It's hard to admit, because as a club with roots as deep as Manchester United, every time we step on the pitch, we should inherently carry the determined winning spirit to succeed.

What's encouraging is that things have changed in recent years, and now you can genuinely feel that in any match, as long as we perform at a high level and maintain the right mindset, we're fully capable of competing with any opponent. This is the most incredible feeling a Manchester United player can have, because you want to step on the pitch and prove to the world that you're defending such a great club.

One thing I've learned over the years is that high-stakes matches like this can change or even define an entire season. Last season was a perfect example; at that time, our situation wasn't ideal, but after beating Manchester City, the morale of the entire team soared, and we then embarked on a winning streak. Although we've dropped points we should have secured this season and haven't met expectations, this top clash can ignite a spark and reinforce our belief that the team can show the fighting spirit and quality it should. So I think there's no match we want to fight for more right now than this derby.

As the big match approaches, what's it like to be a Manchester United player in Manchester? Do fans stop you in the street and say, "You have to win on Sunday, please"? Is that the atmosphere throughout the city?

Yes, it happens often. I've experienced many similar situations, and sometimes the greatest wish some fans have all season is for us to beat Liverpool, or to beat Manchester City. It just proves how crucial it is for fans to see the club defeat its rivals and return to the top. But we know well that to compete for the Premier League title, you have to beat almost every opponent. However, everything starts with this top clash; we need to make our title rivals understand that Manchester United will never be absent from the competition. Being able to participate in matches like this is always thrilling, and the atmosphere at the venue is unmatched, especially at Old Trafford, where the fans always inspire boundless possibilities; that's the magic and wonder of this club.

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