Ten Hag admits Amad deserves to be playing more after late winner h

ERIK ten Hag admits Amad’s training performances have merited more playing time for United after his heart-stopping winner against Liverpool.

-  SAMUEL LUCKHURST

The winger struck only his second goal for the club in the 121st minute of United’s extraordinary 4-3 extra-time triumph to progress to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Amad’s previous goal was against AC Milan in the Europa League round-of-16 in March, 2021 and he has since embarked on loan spells with Rangers and Sunderland.

A knee injury in the pre-season victory against Arsenal in July sidelined Amad for five months but he made only three substitute appearances in two-and-a-half months before his introduction against Liverpool

The 21-year-old hinted at his apparent unhappiness at a lack of playing time with a cryptic post on Instagram after he was unused in the 2-0 defeat of Everton earlier this month. Amad then deleted his social media accounts and explained he had done so due to Ramadan.

Ten Hag turned to the Ivory Coast international in the 85th minute with United 3-2 down to Liverpool.

“I’m so happy for him,” Ten Hag beamed.

“He is one of the players with a huge setback this season, a bad injury, returning from it, but returning to a team where there is a lot of comp for his position.

“He does not always get the time to play he deserves by his training performances but then he is coming on, then he shows his contribution, scoring a goal.

“But we know he can do it, we know he has the key moments where he can decide a game.