Amad Diallo Given Time Off After Family Loss, To Miss Manchester United’s Brentford Trip

Manchester United forward Amad Diallo has been granted time away from the squad following the death of a family member.

Amad Diallo, 22, will not feature in Saturday’s Premier League game against Brentford, with head coach Ruben Amorim stressing that football takes a back seat at such moments.

“We are giving all the support to Amad,” Amorim said when asked about the player’s absence. “The next game is not important.”

Diallo has been a key part of United’s early season, starting five of their six matches in either a number 10 role or at right wing-back. His absence comes at a time when he has also been under the spotlight for off-field reasons.

Naija News reports that after United’s victory over Chelsea last weekend, some fans criticised his online interaction with former team-mate Alejandro Garnacho, who left Old Trafford under difficult circumstances. The Ivory Coast international later wiped all content from his Instagram and 𝕏 accounts.

Amorim was quick to defend him, advising his players to cut down on online distractions. “I say the same thing to my players, shut down social media. It’s like that nowadays. It’s a price you have to pay. The important thing is that the club and his friends are real life for Amad. We are here for him. We can win without Amad and we also want to win for him.”

United will also be without utility defender Noussair Mazraoui, who picked up a knock against Chelsea and is not expected back until mid-October. Striker Bryan Mbeumo, meanwhile, is set to line up against his former club after leaving Brentford in the summer.

For Amorim, Saturday offers a chance to string together consecutive league wins for the first time in his reign, though he admitted supporters are right to question United’s consistency.

The coach said, “It’s normal that the fans don’t know what is going to happen in the next game. To be honest, I have an idea, but I don’t know how it’s going to be, and I’m the manager of the team. The best way of dealing with that is to approach every game like it’s the last one. I understand the feeling of the fans, so let’s start changing that feeling.”