How the year changed for Diallo

Amad Diallo's resurgence at Manchester United is marked by key contributions, including a winning goal in the derby, showcasing his growing influence.

Kolkata: Around this time in 2023, it had been over two years since Amad Diallo played for Manchester United. Diallo’s first match in 23-24 came on December 30 when he got 36 minutes in the 1-2 defeat against Nottingham Forest. Unsurprisingly, reports emerged in January that the Ivorian wanted out.

Manchester United's Amad Diallo. (REUTERS)

Ahead of Thursday’s EFL Cup quarter-final against Tottenham Hotspur, it is safe to say that shipping Diallo out would be the last thing on the minds of anyone at Manchester United. Sunday’s Manchester derby –rechristened the Diallo Derby by many for his winner and how he earned the penalty – has ensured that but his stature at the club had been growing.

Before Sunday, Diallo’s dribbles had led to five of United’s six goals. Over the past two months, he had eight goal contributions and his six attacking sequence involvements on Sunday, as per Opta, were matched only by Bruno Fernandes across both teams. Ten times he touched the ball in the City penalty area. No one had done that at Etihad since Roberto Firmino in 2017. Diallo was the only player to have four shots with two on target in the derby.

“When he’s like this, he’s unstoppable,” Fernandes told Sky Sports after the 2-1 win against City. “I think there’s still a lot more to come…”.

There’s more. Diallo has 7.1 counter-pressures per 90 in the middle and final third. Only Rasmus Højlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Bruno Fernandes have more but none of them has played as wing-back which Diallo has. At 81.2%, his successful passes with a defender within three metres ranks fourth in the Premier League list for wide midfielders and wingers.

On Sunday, Fernandes also spoke of the club believing in Diallo but till Erik Ten Hag’s departure in late October things were not looking up for the 22-year-old who has shown that he is capable of playing in more than one position.

This despite his late goal in that roller-coaster 4-3 win against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final. True, seven of Diallo’s nine starts in the Premier League last term came after that and Ten Hag used him in the Community Shield and at the start of 24-25. But numbers bear out Ten Hag’s preference for two players who may have fallen out of favour now: Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho.

From the FA Cup quarter-final to Ten Hag’s ouster, Diallo clocked 946 minutes in all competitions, say Opta. The corresponding numbers for Rashford and Garnacho are 1422 and 1820.

That changed under Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ruben Amorim took it forward by playing Diallo as right wing-back in his first match as Manchester United coach, at Ipswich Town. Diallo provided the assist for Rashford after a strong run. Against Everton, it was his stealing possession that led to Joshua Zirkzee’s first goal.

Big in talent, small in size, Amorim has said of Diallo. He has a lot of learn but was good in defending and in attacking roles, Amorim said after the 4-0 win against Everton.

Under Amorim, Diallo has played 524 minutes. Rashford, who has said he is seeking a new challenge, 307 and Garnacho 327. Neither Rashford nor Garnacho were used on Sunday, a statement by Amorim as big as Ten Hag showing Cristiano Ronaldo out in 2022.

Diogo Dalot at right-wingback meant Diallo could be a right-side No.10 against City. Typically, he made 26 sprints, more than any other player. Equally important was how alert he was to intercept Matheus Nunes’s pass to Ederson and then drawing the foul for the penalty. Diallo then timed his run perfectly, showed a smart bit of skill to lob Ederson before scoring the winner.

“He’s always alive, and this is why he gets the penalty, this is why he gets his goal,” said Fernandes on Sunday.

The penalty and the winner came with Diallo moving inside. That is not what Rashford and Garnacho often do, preferring to use their pace to go wide. And while both do a lot of defensive work, their recovery once out of possession is not as good as Diallo. Case in point: Casemiro berating Garnacho after the Argentine lost possession and did not track back against Chelsea.

Rashford (7 goals, three assists) and Garnacho (8 goals, 4 assists) have more goal contributions than Diallo (4 goals, six assists) in all competitions this season. But that could change in the four matches United play between now and end of 2024.