Amad ‘won’t be a friend’ on Saturday

Regis Le Bris accepts that Amad is still well liked at Sunderland, but admits he will not be the Wearsiders’ friend for 90 minutes on Saturday.

The Manchester United man enjoyed a superb spell on loan with the Black Cats in the Championship in 2022/23, as they also played a key role in his development.

Although they reached the semi-finals of the play-offs during his stint, Tony Mowbray’s side missed out on promotion. However, they did go up last summer, thanks to a dramatic victory against Sheffield United in May.

Amad was in attendance at the Stadium of Light for the game, against Coventry City, that enabled his former club to reach Wembley for that final, and he is clearly still appreciated and admired by the north-east club’s supporters and personnel.

Amad scored this belter for Sunderland against Luton Town.

The Ivory Coast international’s possible involvement in Saturday’s 15:00 BST kick-off is an interesting sub-plot ahead of the match.

He was granted compassionate leave and missed the disappointing 3-1 defeat at Brentford last weekend but has returned to training and could be an option again for head coach Ruben Amorim, either at right wing-back or in one of the no.10 roles.

Although Amad would surely enjoy a warm reception from the away end at Old Trafford, Le Bris said at his pre-match press conference that, despite the affection for the popular 23-year-old, this would obviously be forgotten over the course of the Premier League fixture.

“His spell here was really important,” said the current Sunderland boss, who joined in 2024, after had Amad impressed on loan.

“The coaching staff likes him – as a person and as a player – so both.

“Now he is in the opponents. He plays with the opponents. He will be an opponent.

“So it will be great to say hello but, during the game, he won’t be a friend.”

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