Amad Diallo scored a stunning late hat-trick as Manchester United turned what seemed certain to be a humiliating defeat into a thrilling victory over Southampton at Old Trafford.
United appeared to be heading for a fourth consecutive top-flight home defeat for the first time since 1930 as they laboured badly trying to overcome a Southampton side who had won just once all season and suffered a 5-0 home loss to Brentford on their last league outing.
But Diallo, a week after signing a new five-and-a-half year contract, had other ideas.
The Ivorian, moved into an attacking role from the wing-back position he started the contest in, took the game by the scruff of the neck, levelling nine minutes from time. He surged into the box, profited from a fortunate break of the ball and drove the rebound past Aaron Ramsdale.
A minute into injury-time, Diallo kept running onto Christian Eriksen’s chipped return pass before beating Ramsdale with a first-time effort.
And he capitalised when Taylor Harwood-Bellis failed to control Ramsdale’s pass, nipping the ball away from the former Manchester City defender and passing the ball into an empty net to complete his first senior hat-trick.
It was awful luck on Southampton, who deserved so much more for their efforts but all they had to show was a Manuel Ugarte own goal from a corner.
United, for long periods, showed head coach Ruben Amorim was right to express his concerns about his side’s effectiveness against lesser opposition after encouraging performances against Liverpool and Arsenal.
But Diallo, who has responded better to Amorim’s arrival than anyone else at Old Trafford, was not to be denied and walked away with the match ball in celebration as the home fans cheered him down the tunnel.
