Amad Diallo scored a sensational late hat-trick to inspire a below-par Manchester United to an improbable 3-1 comeback victory over bottom-placed Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday.
United, who had been struggling to return to winning ways, found themselves trailing after a Manuel Ugarte own goal just before halftime, following a lackluster first-half performance at Old Trafford.
The hosts’ lack of confidence was evident as they were second-best from the outset. Alejandro Garnacho, making his first league start in over a month, squandered a golden opportunity, while Southampton created the better chances, with goalkeeper Andre Onana making crucial saves to deny Tyler Dibling and Mateus Fernandes.
Staring down the barrel of a fourth successive home defeat—a streak not seen since 1934—United upped their game in the second half. Despite missed opportunities, including a close-range miss from substitute Antony, it seemed frustration would continue for the Red Devils.
However, Diallo had other plans. The 22-year-old winger equalized eight minutes from time with a goal that had an element of fortune. In the 90th minute, he completed the turnaround with a sublime finish following an assist from Christian Eriksen. In stoppage time, Diallo secured his hat-trick, capitalizing on Southampton’s sloppiness at the back.
“In football you have to believe,” Diallo told TNT Sports after the match. “Very happy to win this. We know we have quality players but we need sometimes to be more hungry in the final third. Today we showed at the end we were the best team on the pitch.”
Diallo’s treble makes him the second-youngest player to score a Premier League hat-trick for United, behind only Wayne Rooney. He is also just the third player in Premier League history to score three times in the final 10 minutes of a game.
The victory lifts Manchester United to 12th in the standings with 26 points from 21 games, offering a glimmer of hope amid another disappointing season. Southampton, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom with six points, ten adrift of safety.
United’s recent improvement under new coach Ruben Amorim showed signs of progress, but the team knows there is still work to be done to salvage their season.
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Diallo's hat-trick helps United come back to beat Southampton
cgtn.com
