Diallo shines for Man United after bench ban and is ‘anxious’ for Amorim

Ivorian forward was chosen by Ruud van Nistelrooy and received praise; awaits the arrival of a new coach

Amad Diallo scored both goals as Manchester United beat PAOK in the Europa League , a convincing display after spending some games on the bench – having been a substitute in the previous six games.

“I always give my best, even when I’m not a starter. Everyone wants to play, but I try to stay focused. I was [United’s] player of the month in August, but now I’ve moved on and I’m focused on the future,” he said.

Interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy also felt that the period on the bench had motivated Diallo. Asked whether being on the bench so often had been a motivating factor, Van Nistelrooy said: “It seems so.”

In Van Nistelrooy’s words, the 22-year-old was “the best player in the first half” and “won the game in the second.”

The imminent arrival of Ruben Amorim from Sporting offers the 22-year-old a fresh opportunity to impress: “I’m excited to have him in the team and can’t wait to work with him.”