Big Amad Diallo moment for Man Utd will be bittersweet for Sunderland: View | OneFootball

Amad Diallo announced himself to the world on Sunday by scoring the winner in the biggest fixture in English football to send Manchester United to the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

United took the lead 10 minutes in thanks to Scott McTominay, but goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mo Salah put Liverpool 2-1 up.

Diallo entered the action in the 85th minute, and two minutes later United were level through Antony.

Harvey Elliott put Liverpool back in front in extra-time, only for Marcus Rashford to equalise again.

Then in stoppage time in extra-time, Diallo finished off a counter-attack to win the game for United before he received a second yellow card for his celebration in a 4-3 victory.

It was the moment many had been waiting for, and that goal may well kick start Diallo's career at Old Trafford.

Diallo showed real quality and picked up the man of the match award at the end of the cup tie, which wouldn't have come as a surprise to Sunderland fans, who know what he's capable of.

Diallo was a fans' favourite at Sunderland last season

After scoring 14 goals and providing four assists in all competitions on loan at Sunderland last season, he showed everyone what he's all about.

At the end of the campaign, he was voted Professional Footballers' Association Fans' Player of the Year.

The highlight of it was scoring the equaliser against Luton Town in the Championship play-off semi-final first leg – a curling shot from 25 yards out that flew into the top corner.

Alongside Patrick Roberts and Jack Clarke, he gave Sunderland real quality in their first season back in the second tier following promotion from League One.

The Black Cats finished sixth – occupying the last play-off spot.

This term, they're 13 points off sixth, and they've certainly missed Diallo.

In January, both Sunderland and Middlesbrough were linked with a loan move for Diallo.

That now appears off the cards in the summer as his performance against Liverpool surely proved that he's destined for the big time.

Diallo reportedly wouldn't link up with Michael Carrick at The Riverside out of respect for Sunderland – a club who have been instrumental in his development.

Everybody associated with Sunderland would have no doubt loved him back on Wearside, but they'll also be happy for him and will hope this is the start of his journey to the top.

Breakthrough for Diallo at Manchester United

Before yesterday, Diallo had only played 63 minutes in total for United all season.

A serious knee injury he picked up against Arsenal in pre-season last July kept him out until almost the New Year.

Brief cameos against Nottingham Forest away in both the league and cup, and at home against Fulham, summed up his season.

If United went on to lose the game against Liverpool yesterday in the 90 minutes after Elliott hit the post late on, it would have been more of the same – limited minutes in frustrating and desperate circumstances for the team.

But in extra-time, he got the chance to showcase his quality that has always been there.

He proved this on his home debut three years ago when he scored a sublime backward header against AC Milan.

Now more mature thanks to his experience at the Stadium of Light, Diallo is ready to show the world what he can do.

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romao, Erik ten Hag reportedly didn't let him go in January because he saw him as a player who was in his first-team plans.

Dutch boss Ten Hag must give him a platform to perform, and his winning goal against Liverpool should serve as a reminder of what he can do.

Diallo will be hoping to do what Wilfried Zaha couldn't

Playing for United brings the greatest pressure in the world on a footballer. It's a pressure that many can't live up to. Just look at some of their signings over the last decade for evidence of that statement.

Sir Alex Ferguson's last signing before he retired in 2013 was Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha at the age of 20 – the same age Diallo was last season when he starred for Sunderland.

Zaha was signed by United in January 2013 before being loaned back to Selhurst Park until the end of the season.

Zaha cost United £10m, which at the time was a record fee paid to a Championship club for the services of one of their players.

The Ivorian winger couldn't succeed at United, and just five months after signing he was sent on loan to Cardiff City before returning to Palace – initially on a season-long loan, before re-signing permanently in 2015.

He went on to be a real success back at Palace in the Premier League, where he caused the other 19 teams problems with his pace and trickery season in season out.

Diallo will do well to reach Zaha's level, but with the greatest respect to Palace, he will be hoping he can succeed at United in the way Zaha didn't, but was expected to.

Diallo, like Zaha, is a winger who also represents the Ivory Coast at international level.

Additionally, signing for United as an 18-year-old from Atalanta for £37m meant he was under pressure from the word get go in his career – just like Zaha was when he signed for United.

Zaha was never really given a chance by Moyes, but in all fairness, at a club like United, you often only get one shot.

Yesterday was Diallo's shot, and he didn't miss his chance to blow.

Diallo will prove Tony Mowbray right

Former Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has been crucial to Diallo's development.

Mowbray spoke after Sunderland's 1-1 draw away to Blackpool on New Year's Day in 2023, and gave his thoughts on Diallo.

He told The Sun: "He [Diallo] brings a bit of magic. I think Amad has done exceptionally well, he's really grown into our football team.

"He is a special footballer I think. The test for him and his parent club of course, is: Is he of the required level to try and win a Champions League or a Premier League? That's what they [United] have to decide, but for us he's an amazing player in this division.

"We're delighted he's with us and hopefully he can continue for the rest of the season and do exceptionally well, and hopefully be given an opportunity at United at some stage.

"I liken him very much talent-wise to Harvey Elliott – the ball stuck to his foot, he picks the right pass all the time, he knows when to keep it and when to release it. His feet are so fast.

"Harvey is doing okay at Liverpool, and hopefully Amad will break through that glass ceiling at United, but it's never easy for young players.

"Ten Hag has to make them calls on his footballers. The balance is always between the achievements of the club.

"Manchester United have to be trying to win Premier Leagues and have to be competing in the Champions League. It's not about giving some young guy an opportunity to show how good he can be, they have to produce.

"Man United have to win. Total respect to Sunderland coming out of League One trying to grow the club, but we don't have to win the division this year. If we can compete in the top half of the division, we're doing extremely well and he's doing that for us at the moment."

These words from Mowbray will prove eternal.

Ironically, he compared Diallo to Elliott, who played on loan at Blackburn under Mowbray in 2020/21.

It was Elliott who Diallo dispossessed in the build-up to his winning goal. On the contrary, Elliott put in a good performance for Liverpool and has now established himself as a key member of a squad who are indeed trying to win the Premier League.

That's where Diallo will one day be for United.

He's shown that he can produce, and if he continues to do so, then Ten Hag will continue to trust him.

At 21-years-old, Diallo has the world at his feet, and Mowbray would have no doubt watched his winning goal yesterday not in surprise, but in delight.