Amad Shines as United Stage Dramatic Comeback Against Saints

Amad Diallo scored the first hat-trick of his club career as Manchester United came from behind to beat Southampton 3-1 at Old Trafford, extending their unbeaten H2H run to 16 Premier League matches.

After the first win of the Ivan Jurić era against Swansea in the FA Cup, the Saints started positively here and had the first real chance as Kamaldeen Sulemana jinked brilliantly inside Leny Yoro, only to be denied by André Onana from an angle. At the other end, Alejandro Garnacho was then left despairing after missing the target from Rasmus Højlund’s lay-off, before Kobbie Mainoo’s cut-back in an attempt to find the Argentina international was vitally intercepted by Taylor Harwood-Bellis. 

Southampton continued to grow in confidence however, with Onana excellently denying Tyler Dibling following a wonderful run by the teenage winger, before the Red Devils goalkeeper sprang to his feet to excellently keep out Mateus Fernandes’ effort from point-blank range, although the Portuguese midfielder should have scored. Sulemana was the next player to try his luck, flashing a shot wide, but Southampton duly went in front on 43 minutes as Fernandes’ corner was flicked on by Dibling, with Manuel Ugarte inadvertently diverting the ball past Onana despite the Cameroonian getting a hand to it. 

Ruben Amorim chose to introduce Antony in place of Mainoo at HT, but Southampton continued to be the better side, leading United’s head coach to bring on Joshua Zirkzee and Toby Collyer for Højlund and Ugarte. However, the Saints barrage continued, and they should have doubled their lead as Kamaldeen skinned Yoro again, but rolled his finish agonisingly wide. That miss then looked like it could prove costly when Garnacho crossed for Antony, but the Brazilian couldn’t connect cleanly with the goal at his mercy, allowing Aaron Ramsdale to gratefully gather. 

Pressure was building as Bruno Fernandes tried to dink the former Arsenal stopper, with the home captain’s subsequent square ball cleared vitally by James Bree, but United levelled on 82 minutes as Amad benefitted from a fortuitous bounce which allowed him the time and space to fire in confidently. Things were inevitably nervy for the visitors in the closing stages given their struggles this season, and Amad dealt the hammer blow just before stoppage time, playing a measured one-two with Christian Eriksen before volleying home emphatically.

The Ivorian completed his treble at the death, capitalising on Harwood-Bellis’ sloppy touch to score with ease and send the Stretford End delirious. It was a bitter pill for Southampton to swallow as their winless away run in the Premier League stretched to 18 matches. United, meanwhile, moved up to 12th thanks to their first home league win since early December. 

AfroBallers Man of the Match: Amad Diallo(Manchester United)