Manchester United picked up a dominant 3-0 win over West Ham United at the weekend.
This was their second Premier League win in a row and a much-needed three points for Erik ten Hag.
Over these games, it has been the youngsters who have stepped up, but there is still one player who is yet to be given a real chance under the Dutch boss.
Antony’s time at Man United
It has now come to a point where even United fans are finding it extremely difficult to provide support for Antony, who has not been able to perform anywhere near his £86m price tag. Even Ten Hag has started to realise that the Brazilian’s lack of effectiveness is holding the side back, which is why Alejandro Garnacho has started as the right-winger as of late.
The problem now for Antony is that Garnacho is thriving in his new role, as he scored twice against the Hammers, whereas the 23-year-old hasn’t even contributed to a goal in 19 Premier League appearances.
Furthermore, the lack of directness and the ability to beat a man, as shown by his rank in the bottom 88% in the league for successful take-on percentage, as per FBref, often forces the former Ajax ace to pass it backwards, which has prevented him from forming a relationship with Rasmus Hojlund.
Amad Diallo deserves a chance to shine
It is often forgotten by many that Amad Diallo was once signed from Atalanta for a huge £37m fee including add-ons, but he is still yet to be handed a chance to showcase his ability in a Man United shirt.
The 21-year-old picked up an injury in the Red Devils’s pre-season tour, which kept him out until December, and since coming off the bench in place of Antony against Nottingham Forest, he hasn’t played a minute. However, during that short cameo, he was arguably United’s best player on the pitch, creating a chance, winning 100% of his duels, and registering a shot on target.
Last season, the winger starred in the Championship for Sunderland, where he netted 13 goals and provided three assists in 27 starts, and the table below shows statistics from his time in the second division compared to his positional peers, and how he could boost Hojlund
Amad’s Sunderland Stats |
||
---|---|---|
Stats (per 90) |
Amad |
League percentile |
Goals |
0.45 |
Top 6% |
Passes completed |
40.51 |
Top 4% |
Shot-creating actions |
4.14 |
Top 8% |
Progressive passes |
5.12 |
Top 6% |
Passes into final third |
3.90 |
Top 4% |
Touches (Att pen) |
4.45 |
Top 14% |
Stats via FBref |
The Dane struggled to adapt to the Premier League, but he has now scored four goals and made two assists in his last four league games. In recent weeks, he has shown his ability to play with his back to goal, which is where Amad could help Hojlund thrive.
The winger has a “magical left foot,” as per Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, with his ball-striking ability allowing him to score goals from anywhere. However, it is his ability to combine with those around him that makes him so deadly, as he is unstoppable when playing quick one-twos and moving into central areas where he can get in the box to work his magic.
Amad’s high passes into the final third and progressive passes also prove that he likes to make things happen and find the striker’s feet, which in this case would be Hojlund. Therefore, making the 21-year-old striker far less isolated.
Overall, Amad deserves minutes on the field, even if it is just coming off the bench for the last half an hour of a game, but nonetheless, he would certainly bring more to the United team than Antony currently does.