The 22-year-old has surged ahead of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho as the club's best winger – and he should be recognised as such
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the player who used to make Manchester United fans happy when skies were grey and now there is a new smiling assassin on the block who is letting them see the sunshine amid the clouds. The Red Devils were staring down the barrel of a fourth consecutive defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium and facing three consecutive league defeats for the first time in nine years when Amad Diallo turned a wretched derby into an unforgettable win.
The winger's show-stopping late show on enemy territory has entrenched his cult-hero status among supporters after his last-gasp winner against Liverpool last season. Amad said he had been "working so hard to live this moment", but he has been bringing joy to the club for a long time already.
"I am so happy the team is very happy with me because I am a chill guy," Amad told "Every time we are training, I put a smile on everyone's face. But in the game you have to be focused and give your best. We knew today was not going to be easy because they are among the top teams. But this is a derby and you have to be more hungry than them and we showed we're hungry."
Four years after signing for United as an 18-year-old at an eye-catching £37 million ($48m) despite only playing five senior games for Atalanta, the "chill guy" is turning into the club's flag bearer. That initial investment is now handsomely paying off but the club need to show Amad how much they value him and lock down his future, ensuring he can keep them smiling for many years to come.
Getty Images SportAlways believing
Amad's decisive display right at the end of the derby was both incredible and inevitable. He had always looked like the player in a red shirt who was going to make the most difference although things hadn't exactly gone his way. But he kept believing, staying alert and waiting for the right moment, such as reacting quickly when Matheus Nunes underhit a backpass and then anticipating the Portugal international's contact in the area.
He also kept believing when he latched on to Lisandro Martinez's chipped pass and flicked the ball over Ederson before guiding it into the net. He explained: "When I have to press, I go with 100 per cent and I do not care who is there or who is not there, I go 100%. I was happy to win the penalty. I tried to shoot but I was maybe a little bit smart and saw the defender coming and he touched my legs.
"For the second one, we know Licha is a good player to give you this ball. At the beginning, I did not believe in the ball because it was going too quickly, but I touched the ball and I scored."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportShining light
Gary Neville could not contain his excitement in the commentary box, letting out a cry that was reminiscent of the infamous 'Goal-gasm' in reaction to Fernandes Torres scoring for Chelsea against Barcelona. This goal, in the Manchester derby, would have felt far more to Neville, and he spoke from the heart when he said Amad was "the only player to look like a Manchester United player". He also called him "a shining light".
pundit Danny Murphy added: "Talk about someone trying to impress a new manager. He is competing against some really good players and now he has said to the manager 'you can't leave me out'. He was the one player on the pitch who was playing with freedom and fearlessness, and also the only one from either side who seemed to be enjoying himself and trying to make an impact whenever he got on the ball."
The statistics backed up Murphy and Neville's assessments. Amad had 10 touches in the opposition box, more than any other player, while he also ranked top for shots on target, successful dribbles and sprints.
GettyVictim of trafficking
Amad might always have a smile on his face, but life has been far from easy for him. He left his family in the Ivory Coast when he was just 12 years old to move to Italy with false immigration papers, later becoming embroiled in a child trafficking investigation which concluded he had moved in with "fictitious parents" and used a fake name.
Despite being the victim in the plot as he was just a child, he was fined €48,000 (£40,000/$50,000) by the Italian FA. Having first played for Italian club Boca Barco before being scouted by Atalanta, Amad then moved clubs four times in less than two years, joining United in January 2021, Rangers in January 2022 and then Sunderland in August 2022.
Solskjaer, the manager at the time, hailed Amad as "one of the most exciting young prospects in the game, a player with all of the raw attributes that are needed to be an important player for Manchester United". He saw him as a prospect, though, rather than a ready-made player and so too did Rangers, who afforded him just four Scottish Premiership starts in a disappointing loan spell. It was in the north east of England where Amad ended up finding his feet, propelling Sunderland into the play-offs with 17 goals.
Getty Frustrated with Ten Hag
The Black Cats' boss Tony Mowbray was enamoured with the forward, who he said arrived "as just another young kid presented to the fans, doing 20 minutes here and there" before becoming "one of the first names on the team sheet" in just a few months. Mowbray backed him to succeed at United. "He undoubtedly has the talent to play at the top level," he said. "It is whether the personality will mature and grow into believing he can play on that stage. If he can get that and feel comfortable in that environment, then he has the talent to thrive there."
Amad looked set for a big year back at United but damaged his knee in the pre-season tour of the USA, not returning to action until December. He returned to a team in which Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were the established wingers and despite scoring the goal that knocked out Liverpool and sent United to the FA Cup semi-finals, he didn't start a Premier League game until May.
He made a strong finish to the season, inspiring United to victory over Newcastle in their final home game and was given more opportunities early in the campaign by Ten Hag, although he didn't lock down his place. And his frustration at his secondary role under the Dutchman boiled over when Antony was brought on ahead of him in the 1-1 draw with Fenerbahce.