Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo was voted man of the match on Friday night as Sunderland beat Birmingham City 2-1 in the Championship. Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray was quick to sing the winger’s praises after the match.
Sunderland took the lead 25 minutes into the game, with Amad providing a tidy assist despite being surrounding by four blue shirts. He winger twisted on the edge of the box and found Ellis Simms with space inside the penalty area.
Four minutes into the second half, Amad provided a moment of magic as Birmingham City were hit by a lethal counter attack. Daniel Neil played a through ball into space before Amad used his pace and some trickery to beat his man. The winger eventually cut in before curling his effort past the goalkeeper.
Sunderland held on for the win despite conceding a late goal, but there is no denying that Amad stole the show. Amad now has three goals in his last five games for Sunderland. No wonder his manager is impressed by his improved end product.
“As I’ve been saying, when you’ve got no strikers you have to find a way – who is going to score the goals – and Amad has come to the party,” Mowbray told reporters, as per The Metro.
“You look at his physical data in every one of the last three or four games and he’s had the highest distance covered, the highest sprint distance, the highest intensity energy runs.
“He played and scored a wonderful goal, but we see him do it every day.
“I think there’s an understanding now that this kid has got real talent and deserves to be well-respected within the football team.
“For me to pick Amad over Patrick Roberts, because I said a few weeks ago that I don’t think there is a better footballer in the league than Patrick Roberts, yet I left him out for Amad tonight because in training he has been unbelievable with the ball, how fast he is, how direct he is.
“He’s an amazing footballer. Somebody said he cost £37m from Atalanta when he joined Manchester United, so I find it difficult to think how he is at Sunderland, but probably the pressure of playing in front of a big crowd and he relishes it.
“He can run all day and he has the ball stuck to his foot, he runs past people and he can score goals like that. We’re delighted he’s here with us.”
Amad didn’t exactly hit the ground running at Sunderland but we are happy to see him stand out in games, especially after a disappointing loan spell at Rangers last season.
There’s no denying that the boy has talent.
