Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has expressed his satisfaction at the return of winger Amad Diallo, who made a surprise early comeback from injury during the club’s 1-0 Europa League semi-final first-leg win over Athletic Bilbao on Thursday night.
The Ivorian forward, who had been sidelined with a serious ankle injury, was widely expected to miss the remainder of the season.
However, he came off the bench late in the game in Spain, providing a timely boost to United’s attacking depth as the campaign reaches a critical phase.
Speaking ahead of their Premier League fixture against Brentford on Sunday, Amorim highlighted the significance of Amad’s return.
“Yeah, it was really tough on us because in that moment, he was the player that created all the situations and then pass a little bit for Bruno (Fernandes),” the United boss said.
Amad had been enjoying a good run of form before his injury setback, and Amorim acknowledged the impact his absence had on the team.
“So to lose a player like that in that moment with a lot of games was really hard for us and especially for Amad, because he was leaving at a good moment. But now he’s returning.”
Although not yet fully at his best physically, the United boss praised the winger’s unique qualities.
“You can feel that he’s not so explosive in the moment, but he’s a player with a characteristic left foot… And we don’t have many players to do that. So it’s massive for us.”
