Solskjaer unearths diamond in Diallo
It would have been a goal worthy of winning any match, and no one is likely to forget the moment Amad Diallo announced himself as a Manchester United player, but no one, equally, could reasonably argue AC Milan did not deserve their late equaliser here.
For Diallo, it was a shame to see some of the gloss taken off his showstopping turn only five minutes after his introduction as a secondhalf substitute, but, in truth, United did not do enough to win this game and must now go to San Siro next week with the tie carrying a very different complexion.
Simon Kjaer’s 92nd-minute header from a corner again exposed United’s enduring inability to defend set-pieces, with Nemanja Matic slow to track Milan’s goalscorer and blocked off in the process, and Dean Henderson making a hash of his attempted save.
After impressive showings against Crystal Palace and Manchester City, this was a step backwards for the England goalkeeper in his bid to snatch the United No 1 jersey from David de Gea.
It was not just Matic and Henderson that erred, though. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer paid the price for his strange decision to try to shut up shop and hang on to a fragile lead for the final 20 minutes.
“We go there knowing we need to score at least one, maybe two and get away with a draw,” the United manager said. “It’s a header from six yards. He [Henderson] can save it, of course. I have seen him save them, but it’s the structure we lose. We dropped too deep. His [Kjaer’s] marker gets blocked off, so he gets in front of him. We should have attacked the ball with the men we had there.”
Diallo’s moment of magic aside, there was just so little to recommend United, their shortcomings encapsulated in one dismal scene late in the first half when Harry Maguire missed an open net from a yard out, shinning the ball on to the inside of a post.
It was a jaw-dropping moment of a different kind to Diallo’s contribution, and the lowlight of a wretched first period from United who were outplayed by a youthful Milan side missing half-a-dozen regulars. The Italians were unfortunate that a fine volley by Franck Kessie in the 11th minute was harshly ruled out after Var decided the ball had taken the slightest touch off his left arm before he turned and shot.
United were crying out for some wit, a spark, anything to allow them to emerge from the drudgery of their careless, one-paced football. Enter Diallo for the injured Anthony Martial for only his third substitute appearance since completing an initial £18.2million move from Atalanta in January. Not even the eternal optimist Solskjaer would have believed the 18-year-old would make such an impact so quickly, and in such startling fashion.
It has evidently not taken Diallo long to learn that, if the run is right, Fernandes has the quality to find you with the pass and what followed
was brilliant. Stationed in between Fikayo Tomori and Diogo Dalot, Diallo had the two defenders where he wanted them and suddenly made a dart in behind Tomori. It was a superb run and Fernandes, spotting it, clipped an exquisite pass over the head of the on-loan Chelsea defender. Diallo twisted his body, craned his neck and then deliberately looped the ball over the advancing Gianluigi Donnarumma with the back of his head.
Diallo celebrated by covering his right ear and left eye with his hands, the crying shame being that there were no fans present to salute it. “The pass was incredible – that more or less made the goal,” Solskjaer said. “The flick is probably the only thing he can do and should do; perfect timing, perfect weight on the flick, a great moment.” It was not enough. United have it all to do.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1) Henderson 4; Wan-bissaka 6 (Williams 74), Bailly 7, Maguire 5, Telles 6; Mctominay 6, Matic 4; Greenwood 6, Fernandes 6 (Fred 73), James 5 (Shaw 74); Martial 5 (Diallo h-t). Subs Grant (g), Bishop (g), Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Shoretire. Booked Mctominay. AC Milan (4-3-1-2) G Donnarumma 6; Calabria 6 (Kalulu 74), Kjaer 7, Tomori 5, Dalot 6; Meite 6, Kessie 7, Krunic 7; Diaz 6 (Tonali 69); Saelemaekers 7 (Castillejo 69), Leao 6. Subs Tatarusanu (g), A Donnarumma (g), Tonin, Gabbia. Booked Saelemaekers. Referee Slavko Vincic (Slovenia).