Manchester United v Leicester City - Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Amad Diallo could miss the rest of Manchester United’s season with ankle ligament damage (Picture: Getty)
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard says the club have lost the ‘one player’ that was ‘shining’ under Ruben Amorim after it emerged that Amad Diallo would likely be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.
The Red Devils were already without the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Lisandro Martinez heading into Sunday’s trip to Tottenham and their situation went from bad to worse as news of Amad’s injury was confirmed today.
It’s understood Amad, United’s top goalscorer in the Premier League with six goals, went down hurt in training earlier this week and BBC Sport report that the Ivorian had sustained ankle ligament damage.
After both Marcus Rashford and Antony completed loan moves away from Old Trafford in January, it leaves Amorim’s options thin on the ground in the wide areas ahead of a crucial period of the season.
Academy star Chido Obi has been called up and could be in line to make his senior United debut against Spurs, while youngsters Sekou Kone, Jack Moorhouse, Harry Amass and Elyh Harrison are also expected to travel to north London.
‘Extremely disappointed to be writing this message in such a crucial time of the season,’ Amad told his followers on social media this evening.
‘Unfortunately, I will be out for some time with an injury. I will come back stronger than ever!! Time to support the boys from the outside. Still loads to play for.’
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The Ivory Coast forward has racked up six goals and six assists in the league this term (Picture: Getty)
FBL-ENG-FA CUP-MAN UTD-LEICESTER
Amorim’s United are looking to bounce back from their defeat to Palace (Picture: Getty)
Amad has enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough season in what has otherwise been an immensely disappointing campaign for United.
The 22-year-old, who has racked up nine goals and seven assists in all competitions, had been expected to continue his run in the side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having started United’s last ten league games.
Giving his reaction to Amad’s setback on NBC Sports, ex-United and USA ‘keeper Howard said: ‘We’ve been saying it for a few weeks now. No one is getting this, no one is understanding the system.
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Howard believes Amad’s loss is a huge blow for United (Picture: Getty)
‘The one player that is shining is Amad so it’s gone from almost bad to worse.
‘It’s impossible to say this about Manchester United but this just feels like, for Amorim, it’s going to be another tinker job: square pegs in round holes, who can do a job here and maybe produce a good performance?’
Tottenham have lost two games on the bounce heading into Sunday’s contest, with Ange Postecoglou under intense pressure to turn the club’s fortunes around.
However, Howard believes Spurs’ clear sense of an ‘identity’ is one advantage the north Londoners have over Amorim’s United during a difficult moment for both clubs.
‘The hard part is that these are two teams that kind of floundering, can’t really find their form but at least Tottenham know who they are and how they’re going to play,’ he added.
‘Whether we agree with it or not, they’re going to concede goals and they’re going to score goals.
‘The problem Manchester United have, having been there as a player, when you’re not sure of the identity of who you are, when that games starts going fast and out of control, that’s when you start to lose a grip of the game.
‘This game is going to go 100 miles an hour and there are going to be a lot of red shirts out there not knowing which way to go.’
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