Amad Diallo’s stunning late hat-trick rescued Manchester United as they secured a 3-1 comeback victory over Southampton at Old Trafford on Thursday. The visitors took a surprising lead just before halftime when a corner inadvertently deflected off Manuel Ugarte and into the United net, leaving the hosts trailing at the break.
United struggled in the first half, with confidence visibly low as they aimed to avoid a fourth successive home league defeat for the first time since 1934. Southampton capitalized on their sluggishness, creating several opportunities that forced goalkeeper Andre Onana into action, including impressive saves from Tyler Dibling and Mateus Fernandes.
After the interval, United emerged with renewed determination. Substitute Antony missed a clear chance from close range, and it seemed frustration would continue for the home side. However, in the 82nd minute, Diallo found the equalizer with a stroke of luck, reigniting the team’s spirits.
As the match approached full time, Christian Eriksen orchestrated a brilliant play, setting up Diallo for a sublime 90th-minute strike that put United ahead. Deep into stoppage time, Diallo completed his hat-trick, capitalizing on Southampton’s error while attempting to play out from the back.
“In football, you have to believe,” Diallo told TNT Sports post-match. “We’re very happy to win this. We know we have quality players, but sometimes we need to be more hungry in the final third. Today we showed at the end we were the best team on the pitch.”
At just 22 years old, Diallo became only the second-youngest player after Wayne Rooney to score a Premier League hat-trick for Manchester United. Remarkably, he is also only the third player in Premier League history to score three times in the final ten minutes of a game.
The victory lifts Manchester United to 12th place in the standings with 26 points from 21 games, offering a glimmer of hope in what has been a challenging season. Under the guidance of new coach Ruben Amorim, the team showed signs of improvement despite a lackluster first half.
Southampton, meanwhile, remain at the bottom with six points, ten points adrift of safety. The defeat adds to their struggles as they fight to climb out of the relegation zone.
United will look to build on this momentum as they continue their campaign, hoping that Diallo’s heroics can inspire a turnaround in their fortunes.
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Diallo's hat-trick helps United come back to beat Southampton
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