Darren Fletcher reveals the next step Amad Diallo needs to take | OneFootball

Manchester United technical director Darren Fletcher has revealed Amad Diallo’s momentous winner against Liverpool in extra-time of a pulsating FA Cup quarter-final can serve as a breakthrough moment for the 21-year-old.

With United trailing 2-1, after having spent the second-half being thoroughly outplayed by Jurgen Klopp’s side, Amad (as he prefers to be known) was summoned from the bench last Sunday by Erik ten Hag in the 85th minute to replace Raphael Varane.

To swap an experienced centre-back for an inexperienced forward constituted a final roll of the dice by the Dutchman. Yet, within 120 seconds of the substitution, Antony, who also entered the fray from the bench, had scored to equalise.

The Brazilian would normally operate exclusively on the right-hand side but, with Ten Hag’s decision to send an extra attacker in Amad on, Antony was able to drift centrally. And it was from this position, near the penalty-spot, that the former Ajax man swivelled and produced a feat United fans did not think possible – a goal with his right-foot.

Ten Hag had rolled an equaliser; his winner was still to come.

With the score 2-2, the game at Old Trafford headed into extra-time. Liverpool would strike first, courtesy of a lucky deflected shot from Harvey Barnes. But United did not give up faith, eventually finding yet another equaliser through Marcus Rashford. 3-3.

And, as an exhausting quarter-final reached extra-time within extra-time, the sprightly Amad found himself bearing down on the Liverpool goal after an electric break in the 122nd minute by United. He took a moment to compose himself, as the angle was extremely difficult, before guiding the ball past Caoimhin Kelleher.

Ensue pandemonium; the type of simultaneous visceral reaction from 75,000 human beings only football can produce. Ten Hag, through Amad, had rolled a winner and sent United into the semi-final of the FA Cup at the expense of their greatest rivals.

It was a moment which will live long and far in the memories of fans. But, Fletcher reveals, it was a moment ten minutes before the winner which was important to him as the goal itself.

Against Fulham in February, Amad had come on for United when they were losing. He worked hard, enthusiastically tracking back but his defensive contributions lacked purpose or effectiveness. United would end up losing 2-1 to a counter-attacking goal.

It was a similar story against Nottingham Forest at the end of December. Amad was brought on with the score 1-1, but it was ultimately his errant cross that triggered a Forest counter which resulted in a goal by Morgan Gibbs-White. While this was more to do with Bruno Fernandes’ poorly executed dummy than Amad’s cross, the Ivorian’s defensive contributions once again were called into question by the coaching staff. United ended up losing 2-1 to a counter-attacking goal.

It’s telling of Erik ten Hag’s assessment of Amad that these two cameos are the only appearances he has made in the Premier League this season.

While the Dutchman and his coaching staff are appreciative of the Ivorian’s quality on the ball, they have been working intensely with him to improve his abilities off-the-ball. For it’s out-of-possession where United feel their young winger must make improvements, as demonstrated against both Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

Which is why Amad’s performance against Liverpool, one characterised by diligent tracking back and purposeful defending, was so encouraging to Fletcher – one of the figures at Old Trafford who has worked closest with the 21-year-old since his move from Atalanta.

United signed Amad in January 2021 for an initial fee of £17.2 million, with a number of performance-related bonuses. It was a considerable fee for a young player, though it reflects how “hugely impressed” the club’s scouts were by him. As was Fletcher when he first saw him in training.

“Straightaway you could see the high level of technical ability,” Fletcher reveals. “Amad’s first touch is immaculate, there’s balance. There was a lack of game understanding as is normal in young players, so we knew it was a pathway for him, a journey.”

After Rashford’s equaliser in extra-time, Amad immediately sprinted back to the United half to set himself up correctly for the restart. At this stage, Ten Hag had thrown the kitchen sink, as well as the fridge and dishwasher, at Liverpool in order to get back into the game. Antony was playing as an auxiliary left-back, a depleted Fernandes at centre-half; Harry Maguire was moonlighting as a target man.

With the game now 3-3, more defensive stability was required to ensure United did not lose it, just after having to back into it.Fletcher reveals Amad recognised this: “At that key moment, he has to decide whether to become a right-back or where else to defend. Amad recognised what he had to do. The intensity, attitude and work rate is there. The off-the-ball stuff is really important.”

Amad worked extremely hard in both directions during this crucial period of the game. He also worked intelligently. Following a Liverpool corner which saw them commit numbers forward in the final minutes of the game, it was the winger’s interception which ultimately proved the difference, as much as his goal.

The corner was cleared to Elliott but Amad immediately pressed the Liverpool winger, intercepting the ball into the tireless Alejandro Garnacho’s path. The Ivorian then outsprinted all of Klopp’s players to join his Argentine teammate on the counter, completing the move with a well-taken finish to send Old Trafford into a frenzy.

It was the type of defensive action Fletcher reveals United’s coaching staff have been helping Amad to develop. “Against Liverpool, he showed he’d taken on all our feedback,” the technical director praised.

While it was Amad’s “high level of technical ability” which brought him to United, it will be the continued development of his tactical and defensive abilities which decides whether he remains at the club.

Fletcher recognises Amad has had to be “patient” in his United career. Unfortunate timings or moments – through injury, loans, or even a global pandemic – have hindered the winger’s progress at Old Trafford, despite his innate talents on the ball.

United’s technical director is hopeful that this performance against Liverpool, where Amad’s defensive actions were as important as his offensive one, can serve as the propellant the 21-year-old has needed. “He’s needed to be patient,” says Fletcher. “He needed a moment and hopefully Sunday was that moment.”

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