Few moments make a statement quite like scoring a last-gasp winner in a derby. By doing just that against Manchester City on Sunday, Amad has firmly staked his claim for an automatic starting spot at Manchester United . That is, at least, according to Danny Murphy , who reckoned the young star's heroics at the Etihad Stadium have made it impossible for United boss Ruben Amorim to leave him out of the line-up.
"Amad Diallo was outstanding," Murphy said on Match of the Day . "Talk about a player trying to impress a new manager and showing he was right to select him. And what he's done now is he's said to the manager, 'you can't leave me out'.
He turned that game on its head." Interjecting, host Mark Chapman posited: "He's kind of first choice in that role now isn't he? Either at wing-back or in that role [at right wing] he had today." Agreeing, Murphy replied: "I think that role [right wing] suits him best because he's going to get in those goalscoring positions.
" Pep Guardiola's City side, who are in the midst of an unprecedented slump, initially took the lead via Josko Gvardiol, who headed Kevin De Bruyne's deflected cross beyond Andre Onana on 36 minutes. The visitors equalised with two minutes to play in the second half after Bruno Fernandes converted from the penalty spot, though Amad was very much the architect. Moments earlier, the 22-year-old had pounced on a wayward Matheus Nunes backpass, before being recklessly felled by the Portugal international – who, by trying .
