Manchester United put up a valiant effort at Anfield to ensure the spoils were shared in a 2-2 draw against Liverpool.
Lisandro Martinez broke the deadlock seven minutes after the break, with a brilliant finish into the roof of the net. The lead didn’t last long, as Cody Gakpo restored parity not too long after.
Matthijs de Ligt was judged to have handled the ball and Liverpool were awarded a penalty. Mohamed Salah made no mistake from the spot-kick to put his side in the driving seat.
It seemed like United were headed for a fifth consecutive defeat across all competitions but Amad Diallo had other ideas. The forward made a well-timed run inside the box to get on the end of an Alejandro Garnacho cross and fire the ball into the back of the net, well past Alisson’s reach.
There were a number of very good performers for United, with Amad being one of them.
During the time he was on the pitch, the Ivorian embarked on two dribbles, completing both of them. He touched the ball 42 times and successfully found his teammates with 28 of the 30 passes he attempted.
Amad attempted to connect with one cross and one long ball. He found his target with the cross and the long ball he pointed.
The Ivorian won three of the five ground duels he delved into. He was not required to contest any challenges in the air.
Amad also made two clearances.
(Stats obtained from Sofascore)
No other United player has been directly involved in more goals than Amad since Ruben Amorim’s appointment as Erik ten Hag’s replacement – eight.
Under Ruben Amorim, Amad Diallo has been directly involved in more goals (8) than any Man Utd other player:
5 assists
2 goals
1 penalty wonGet that NEW contract signed. ✍️✍️✍️ pic.twitter.com/ZmhUVOXdqM
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 5, 2025
Amad has also proven himself to be somewhat a big-game player, getting goal contributions in matches vs. Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.
Amad Diallo under Ruben Amorim vs. Big 6:
⚽️ vs. Man City (winner)
⚽️🅰️ vs. Spurs
⚽️ vs. Liverpool (equaliser)Big game player. ⚡️⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/fXZ3uNFmxc
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 5, 2025
Up next for United is a third-round FA Cup clash against Arsenal in a week’s time.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
