This is the 90th minute of the 195th Manchester Derby.
Lisandro Martinez fired a search ball. Amad Diallo ran. The Ivorian extended his favored left foot. He takes the ball away from Ederson, who has come off his line. The 22-year-old scored with a side-footed volley. Josko Gvardiol failed to clear the ball. The network ripples. The visiting fans went wild. The home fans were speechless.
If Diallo hasn’t already become a fan favorite quickly, this is how he became a United hero on Sunday.
Two late goals from captain Bruno Fernandez and Diallo gave United a 2-1 win over hosts Manchester City, earning them bragging rights after the Red Devils failed to beat their bitter rivals last season.
“We wanted to win this game. It was noisy. In the first half we tried to score. In the second half we pressed well. We proved that we can win any game.” Diallo said with a smile.
Eric ten Hag was sacked by management after the team’s league defeat to West Ham United. Under his leadership, the striker made six appearances in the Premier League and contributed two goals.
Diallo’s current purple career began under Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took over as interim head coach from Ten Hag. Since then, the youngster has contributed to eight goals in all competitions.
Fearless when attacking and diligent when defending
“He’s done a great job and done great things. I think he’s got a lot of work to do because we really believe in his quality and we know what he’s capable of. When he’s like this, he’s unstoppable ‘s,” Fernandez said of his teammates after the win.
Diallo had to wait a long time to shine at the Manchester club. After he joined the team coached by Solskjaer in 2020, he first played for the U-23 team. He made occasional appearances for the senior team, including scoring his first goal against AC Milan in the Europa League, before joining Rangers on loan in the Scottish Premiership for the second half of the 2021-22 season.
There he scored three goals in 10 games before joining Sunderland on loan ahead of the next season. It was with the Black Cats that the Ivory Coast international could show his potential if he could get a run of games. Diallo played 42 games for Sunderland, scoring 14 goals and assisting 4 times.
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While a knee injury will rule him out for most of the 2023-24 season for the Red Devils, we can still see his work rate and hunger for goals – such as his FA Cup quarter-final performance The winning goal against Liverpool and his first Premier League goal against Newcastle United. – made a commitment to his future at the club.
“He’s been the biggest asset since the new manager came in,” former United captain Roy Keane said after the derby. “He’s got a bit of energy, a bit of quality, a young deal, learning his trade and obviously you want him to stay grounded.”
Amorim’s teams are known for having dynamic wingers/full-backs who can attack and defend with equal dynamism. Diallo is fully prepared to become the mainstay of the Portuguese team. He played at right-back in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town.
“He’s versatile too,” added former Manchester City player Micah Richards. He can play as a front three or as a full-back. I think he is Manchester United’s best player this season. I like to watch him, the way he runs behind, the way he is not afraid to rush towards others. “
In Amorim’s first Premier League game, Diallo touched the ball 71 times. Despite his defensive duties as a right-back, Diallo even assisted in the team’s only goal of the night.
Diallo assisted Marcus Rashford in the second minute of the game. Data from Whoscored.com; Chart: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
Diallo assisted Marcus Rashford in the second minute of the game. Data from Whoscored.com; Chart: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
Against Everton, he had 72 touches, almost evenly distributed on both sides of the midfield line. He had two assists that night.
Diallo showed his tireless work, assisting Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford in addition to defending up and down the right wing. Data from Whoscored.com; Chart: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
Diallo showed his tireless work, assisting Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford in addition to defending up and down the right wing. Data from Whoscored.com; Chart: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
While Diallo continued as a full-back in United’s loss to Nottingham Forest, his position suggested he was primarily forward-looking. He dished out one assist.
He assisted Bruno Fernandez to score Manchester United’s second goal of the game. Data from Whoscored.com; Chart: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
He assisted Bruno Fernandez to score Manchester United’s second goal of the game. Data from Whoscored.com; Chart: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
Amorim used Diallo as part of a front three for the first time. Judging from this game, the winger had fewer touches of the ball (50) than he was expected to have when he dropped deep, but he played an important role in United’s key moments. This also proves the young man’s efficiency.
As well as winning a penalty for United, Diallo also scored the winning goal against Manchester City in the Manchester derby. Data from Whoscored.com; Chart: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
As well as winning a penalty for United, Diallo also scored the winning goal against Manchester City in the Manchester derby. Data from Whoscored.com; Chart: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
With the player’s contract expiring in June 2025, with the option of a one-year extension, fans of the club are hoping media reports indicate that a contract extension is a possibility.
