London, Jan 17: Amad Diallo keeps coming up with big late goals for Manchester United.
There were three of them Thursday in a remarkable 12-minute flurry that rescued United from an embarrassing loss to the Premier League’s worst team.
Diallo, a 22-year-old winger from the Ivory Coast, scored a hat trick from the 82nd minute to earn United a 3-1 victory over last-place Southampton – just when it looked like his team was heading for a fourth straight home loss for the first time since the 1930s.
“In football you have to believe. We believed until the end,” said Diallo, who signed a new five-year contract with United last week as a reward for becoming one of its most important players.
That’s because Diallo is proving a man for the big occasion. Two weeks ago, he scored an 80th-minute equaliser at Anfield to secure a 2-2 draw against Liverpool; a month ago, he scored a 90th-minute winner at Manchester City; and who could forget his winner in stoppage time of extra time as United ousted Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals.
Now he is a mainstay of the team, even trusted by manager Ruben Amorim to play the demanding position of right wing back. By the end of the game against Southampton, Diallo was playing like a forward and he equalised in the 82nd minute, scoring at the second attempt after his initial shot was blocked.
Diallo put United ahead in the 90th minute when he ran onto Christian Eriksen’s chip over the defense and volleyed home, and added a third goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time after dispossessing a Southampton defender in front of an empty goal.
“I am ready to play every position – I am ready to play as a wing back, No. 10, where the manager likes to put me,” said Diallo, the second-youngest scorer of a Premier League hat trick for United, after Wayne Rooney. “I am ready to fight for this club.”
Amorim said “good things are going to happen” for the Ivory Coast international if he continues to train well.
“He is in a great moment and he is having a very good season,” Amorim said.
The victory continued an uptick for the fallen English giant, which beat Arsenal in a penalty shootout in the FA Cup on Sunday and was impressive in a 2-2 draw at first-place Liverpool in United’s previous league game.
United climbed to 12th place in the league but was largely poor against Southampton, which took the lead thanks to an own-goal by Manuel Ugarte in the 43rd minute.
Southampton stayed on just six points for the season and looks a near-certainty for relegation. The team is 10 points from safety.
Ipswich drop into relegation zone
The three relegation places are now filled by the teams promoted last season after Ipswich lost at home to Brighton 2-0. Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter scored second-half goals for Brighton, which climbed to ninth place.
Ipswich dropped below Wolverhampton into third-to-last place and is only ahead of Leicester and Southampton. (AP)
