Amad Diallo says he is ‘extremely disappointed’ after sustaining an injury which could rule him out for the remainder of Manchester United’s season.
According to Mail Sport, Amad, 22, arguably United’s best player this season, went down hurt in training earlier this week and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Ruben Amorim will also be without midfield trio Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer for the Red Devils’ trip to Tottenham on Sunday, in addition to long-term absentees Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Jonny Evans.
Amad’s absence leaves Amorim with a selection headache in the wide areas, with United’s attacking options already thin on the ground following January loan moves for Marcus Rashford and Antony.
‘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.’
Having established himself as a mainstay in Amorim’s XI, Amad had started United’s last ten league matches prior to his devastating injury setback.
The Ivory Coast international is United’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with six goals. He has also registered six assists in the English top flight, while netting twice in the Europa League.
Only last month, Amad put pen to paper on a bumper new contract at Old Trafford, tying him to the club until 2030.
At his pre-match press conference on Friday, Amorim delivered an ominous message over the health of his first-team squad.
But while the Portuguese revealed that one player was suffering with an illness, he did not divulge any details over an injury to Amad at the time.
‘It was a good week until two days ago, we had some problems,’ the United head coach told reporters.
‘We don’t have players back, we have one or two issues but we are waiting. We have one player who is sick so we will see the team at weekend.’
Amorim’s scarcity of options in attack could raise questions over United’s willingness to let both Rashford and Antony leave on a temporary basis last month.
But Antony’s lightning start on loan at Real Betis has left many United fans scratching their heads given he had managed just one goal all season prior to the move.
‘Sometimes it’s like that, it can happen in any club,’ Amorim said when asked about Antony’s form in Spain.
‘This is a club with a lot of pressure. At this kind of club you have to have a base of a team to put the younger players, talented players that came from abroad, that come to a team that has one strong base that can help them to cope with that pressure.
‘We don’t have that in this moment so it’s really hard on them and you feel it on [Patrick] Dorgu, he was a little bit nervous in the first moment.
‘But if you are playing better as a team, you have a strong core that can cope with this, are winning games and are really strong in the games like it’s supposed to be at this kind of club, it will be more easy for these kind of players to be free to play their football.
Amorim added: ‘Football is like that.
‘When you reach that level you need to be able to cope with the pressure.
‘Sometimes they go to other clubs and they are more free without pressure and they play better.’
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