- Manchester United interim head coach praises forward
- Amad Diallo’s downtrodden year
- What has gone wrong for the Ivorian?
Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick has praised Ivorian winger Amad Diallo ahead of the Liverpool fixture. There is no denying that Amad has struggled this season, and more notably, in recent weeks.
Amad’s time at United has been a rollercoaster affair, but under Ruben Amorim, it looked like he was finally coming into himself.
Erik ten Hag seldom handed him opportunities, but Amorim utilised Amad in his 3-4-3 formation. While that system pushed him deeper as a wing-back, it allowed him to act as a creative outlet—part wing-back, part creator—balancing defensive duties with attacking output.
Under Carrick, he has moved back into his more natural right-wing position, but he stands out as one of the few players who has failed to improve under the Englishman.
Carrick’s Comments
Ahead of the Liverpool match, Carrick was asked about Amad, with the interim head coach being asked what he thinks the winger can improve on.
“I actually think he’s playing well, Amad. I think numbers in terms of goals and assists, I think there’s an awful lot more in the game. Playing in a winning team like he has, to worry about numbers, I think he gives the team so much.
“He’s got so much talent, he’s got so much ability, but his work ethic and his attitude is fantastic as well. He’s played different roles at times. I’m a big fan of Amad, I think he was unlucky and unfortunate that we had to change things tactically the other night [against Brentford], and it was purely on that why he came off.
“I think he’s given the team an awful lot. It’s the underbelly of what goes into the performance, not always what the headline grabs, that actually proves to be a team that’s going to be successful and Amad’s part of that.”
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What has happened to Amad?
Across practically every metric, Amad’s attacking output has dwindled under Carrick compared to Amorim.
Prior to the Brentford match, The Athletic published a graph showing that Amad averaged more take-ons, touches, touches in the opposition third, touches in the opposition box, and chances created per 90 minutes.
In addition, with Amad still waiting for his first goal or assist under Carrick, he averaged more goals and assists per 90, while also producing higher expected goals and expected assists.
Several factors explain this.
Amorim deployed Amad as a wing-back, meaning he received the ball in deeper areas, allowing him to attack defenders with greater momentum.
Now, the Ivorian receives possession in more advanced positions, and his acceleration alone does not allow him to burst past defenders with the same effectiveness.
Another factor lies in his positioning within the structure.
Amorim’s 3-4-3 typically placed three attackers ahead of him, while Bruno Fernandes often roamed freely, offering an additional advanced option.
Now, only the lone striker operates ahead of Amad in the 4-2-3-1 system.
This entire season has ultimately proven disappointing for Amad, who has managed just two goals and three assists throughout the campaign.
His last goal came in December, when he scored the opener in the 4-4 thriller against Bournemouth, while his last assist came on 8 November, when he set up the opener for Bryan Mbeumo in United’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
Amad did, however, contribute in the reverse fixture against Liverpool—as United prepare to face their rivals—with the Ivorian once again assisting the opener for Mbeumo in the Red Devils’ 2-1 victory.
Where does Amad go from here?
Against Brentford, Amad clearly showed what has been missing. In the opening minutes, Kobbie Mainoo produced a dazzling, mazy dribble, gliding past three separate players before laying the ball off to Amad just outside the six-yard box.
With goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher off his line after attempting to close Mainoo down, Amad faced what was practically an open goal, yet he still put it wide, extending his drought and denying Mainoo a potential assist of the season.
As the camera turned towards him, he stood defeated, eyes glossy, licking his lips. Mainoo, equally frustrated, moved quickly to his teammate and slapped his hand in support, but it was a moment that set the tone for a first half riddled with errors.
Though he responded with a sublime sliding tackle on Kevin Schade—allowing Fernandes to regain possession and register his 19th assist of the season, setting up Benjamin Sesko for what proved to be the winner—Carrick still substituted him at half-time, making his earliest non-forced change.
With attacking output dropping across the front four in recent weeks—aside from Fernandes’ assists—now presents the perfect moment for Amad to step up and take responsibility as United push to secure third place.
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