COMMENT: It was courageous. Innovative. And something never before seen. A week ago Sunday, Erik ten Hag and Diogo Dalot broke the mold. A move to win a Cup quarterfinal. And - perhaps - launch a new era at Manchester United...

Joao Cancelo. Trent Alexander-Arnold. We've all been educated on the inverted fullback. But nothing like this. Nothing like Dalot against Liverpool. Ten Hag's use of his Portugal defender wasn't just about adding an extra body in attack. Nor adding a central option in midfield. This went further. Much, much further. With the backing of his manager, Dalot was transformed - particularly after halftime - into a genuine quarterback.

Time and again, Dalot would collect the ball centrally in United's defensive half and launch a raking crossfield pass to either a free Marcus Rashford or Alejandro Garnacho on the opposite flank. It was something we never saw Cancelo do in a Manchester City shirt. Ditto Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool. But Dalot, clearly, has that ability and was backed by his manager to make the most of it on Sunday.

But Ten Hag and Dalot went further - particularly, again, after halftime. With his ability in possession and released to move across the back four, suddenly United appeared comfortable playing out from defence. Where Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka would appear clumsy and panicked on the ball, it would all come together when Dalot took control. A dip of the shoulder and he'd dart past an on-rushing Liverpool attacker. A sharp wall-pass with a teammate and suddenly he'd have the moment to get his head up and hit one of those long-range passes for a teammate to burst onto. It was spectacular, especially knowing we were witnessing something rarely - if ever - seen from a fullback.

There was a bit of Franz Beckenbauer about Dalot when jinking through a maze of green-and-white shirts before reaching the halfway line. Or maybe it was Philipp Lahm when finding the right pass to force a pressing Liverpool to backpedal. But it was more than the parts, it was the sum total. Dalot produced a complete performance. In keeping with the Beckenbauer era, you could call it a total performance. One that would make Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff proud.

That it stemmed from United's Dutch manager, therefore, shouldn't surprise. But that Ten Hag should choose to unleash this innovation in the second-half of a Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool was, however, unexpected.

But it worked. And thrillingly so. Ten Hag backed Dalot's qualities to their fullest. Good fullback. Excellent going forward. But playmaker? Passmaster? No-one saw this.

“When Dalot arrived, you could see he was very good on the ball," United's Treble winner Wes Brown told Tribalfootball.com going into last Sunday's tie. "But especially in the second half of the season, he's really come into it.

"It looks like he's becoming a real solid player. People are really struggling to dictate that left-hand side because he's pretty much doing everything perfect."

As we say, everyone in and around the club have been impressed by Dalot this season. Having turned 25 last week, he's now come into his own. Before Sunday, as a United right-back, he looked the part. Sure, there's improvements to be made defensively, but he plays like a traditional Manchester United fullback. Certainly Brown believes so when we put it to him.

But on Sunday, Dalot offered more - much more - than we've ever seen from a United player in that designated position. No modern-day United fullback from the past had the toolbox Dalot boasts. Denis Irwin? Patrice Evra? Gary Neville...? They were all excellent for their time. But Sunday was something different. As we say, a mix of Beckenbauer and Lahm in the one performance. Yet still strong enough to maintain his defensive duties when needed.

Of course, it was always there. Now almost six years on United's books. Everything Dalot showed on Sunday was always in him. But it took Ten Hag to recognise what Dalot could add when United had the ball and find a way to make the most of it.

This he did on Sunday - and to great effect. For Dalot it was a moment to mark a career. For Ten Hag and United - perhaps - a result to launch an era. But beyond Sunday and that FA Cup quarterfinal win, the pair of them came together to give us a performance never before seen from a Manchester United fullback.