Comment: This Manchester derby was elite football reimagined by a robot with a hangover

Amad Diallo’s intervention gave much-needed life to the utter deathliness of the game that preceded it

Sun, 15 Dec, 2024 - 21:54

Barney Ronay

It was deeply fitting Amad Diallo should decide this Manchester derby, mainly because for long periods he seemed to be the only person on the pitch not playing under heavy sedation.

Footballers are often said to have stood out in a game. Diallo stood out here mainly because he actually seemed to like playing football. In the event this expressed itself in four extraordinary minutes during which Diallo played a lone hand in turning 1-0 down into a 2-1 win.