Ruud van Nistelrooy described Amad Diallo's attitude as "incredible" after he was rewarded for his patience with a match-winning double in Manchester United's 2-0 Europa League win over PAOK.

The winger had not started a game for the Red Devils since October 3 but made the most of his opportunity by scoring twice in the second half following an insipid opening 45 from the hosts at Old Trafford.

Amad's double was his first Red Devils brace, while five of his six goals in all competitions for United have come at Old Trafford. 

Interim boss Van Nistelrooy, who has one more game in charge before handing over to Ruben Amorim after the international break, was full of praise for Amad, who also scored his first Europa League strikes since March 2021.

Speaking to TNT Sports, he said: "I think Amad made a difference for us today obviously, because of his goals, but he was sharp.

"I think in the first half he was also one of the few who was at his level. So well done to him, good game.

"He's been incredible (in training) actually, every time he was never affected by not playing, always training, always staying on the pitch, always saying 'Ruud let's do more'."

Amad's second goal was particularly brilliant as he won the ball back deep in PAOK territory, drove forward, and bent a lovely 20-yard effort into the left-hand side of the goal, albeit with a slight aid of a deflection.

Van Nistelrooy added: "He made his own goal. Coming inside with the left, getting inside the far post was excellent.

"But I think this is what made the goal, he won his own duel and then took the shot for the goal."

Diallo's impressive display saw him register more shots on target (three) and touches in the opposition box (10) than any other player on the pitch. 

He also completed the most successful dribbles (two), while also competing in 16 duels during the contest, the joint-highest for the Red Devils along with Victor Lindelof.

Diallo himself praised the work Van Nistelrooy has done since returning to Old Trafford as part of the backroom staff under previous manager Erik ten Hag in the summer. 

"Since he arrived at Manchester United he has been very important for everyone," he said. 

Prior to their victory over the Greek side, United were winless in six consecutive European matches (D4, L2), matching their worst stretch since 1980 to 1983.

It means they have still never gone seven without a win in European fixtures, though Diallo believed their triumph against PAOK was just as important as getting his season up and running. 

"It's been a long time since we won in Europe. Today we showed why we are one of the best teams. It was important to win today.

"It is important to score every time. This season I have been unlucky, so I am happy to score two today. But the most important thing was to win.

"I like to celebrate with the fans and make people happy."

Manchester United's Amad Diallo has withdrawn from the Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sierra Leone due to illness. 

Diallo, who has made six appearances for his country, has since returned to Manchester ahead of the Red Devils' upcoming Premier League fixture against Brentford.

The 22-year-old earned his first cap for the Elephants in 2021, and was recalled to Emerse Fae's group after a 15-month absence in June for wins over Zambia and Chad.

Ivory Coast know that two wins against the Leone Stars will seal their progression to the tournament, which takes place in Morocco at the end of next year. 

A statement by the Elephants read, “The Ivorian Football Federation informs the Press and the public that the player, Amad DIALLO, arrived in group on Monday October 7, 2024, as part of the 3rd and 4th Days of the CAN qualifiers Morocco 2025, is declared forfeit for health reasons.”

Diallo is the latest player within Erik ten Hag's ranks to withdraw from international duty with their respective nations. 

Argentina's Alejandro Garnacho, England's Kobbie Mainoo and Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui are the other players left out as a precaution. 

Diallo has made 10 appearances for United this season in all competitions, scoring once in his side's 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. 

However, he has yet to fully nail down a starting berth, with Ten Hag so far rotating his wide options with Garnacho and Marcus Rashford.

Manchester United must become "more clinical in both boxes", said a frustrated Erik ten Hag after Saturday's last-gasp 2-1 defeat to Brighton.

Joao Pedro headed in a stoppage-time winner for Brighton at the Amex Stadium, condemning United to their first Premier League loss of the season.

Amad Diallo had earlier cancelled out Danny Welbeck's opener, which was the Brighton forward's 100th club goal, and his sixth against his old side United.

United had a would-be equaliser disallowed when the offside Joshua Zirzkee got a knee to Alejandro Garnacho's strike on the line, and ultimately contrived to lose when some slack defending allowed Pedro to pounce at the back post.

Yet Ten Hag refused to pin the blame on Zirkzee's mistake, and instead reiterated the need for cutting edge at both ends of the field.

He told BBC Sport: "Absolutely [tough to take]. We should at least have taken a draw. And we could have won with the Garnacho [disallowed] goal.

"We created many other chances to score a second goal. We showed resilience after conceding an unnecessary goal but we fought back, and we had our opportunities to score more goals. Of course, it's disappointing when you go on to lose.

"[We conceded] two soft goals. We have to be more clinical in both boxes, we have to look and act better there as a team.

"I've seen some good spells. We took control of the game, we created good chances, it's a pity that we are without any points here, but that is top-level football.

"You have to take it, show resilience, gather and go for the next big game."

The match facts do not entirely support Ten Hag's view, however. United edged the possession, with 52.3%, but Brighton had more shots (14 to 11) and mustered more expected goals (2.12 to 1.41).

Late capitulations are also nothing new for Ten Hag.

Since the start of 2022-23, United have lost more Premier League games thanks to goals scored in the 90th minute (+ stoppage time) than any other side (six); they had only lost two such games in the first 30 campaigns in the competition combined.

Amad Diallo is hopeful of more game time at Manchester United this season and wants to continue playing for the club for years to come.

The Ivorian did not feature often last season, with injury stalling his progress while manager Erik ten Hag also favoured Antony or Alejandro Garnacho.

Nevertheless, Diallo showed what he could do in flashes, with his injury-time winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup one of the high points of United’s season.

The 22-year-old is confident of more involvement this term, having held conversations with Ten Hag about his progress going forward.

He said: "I am so excited, I believe in the manager, I know last season I didn't play a lot but this season is going to be a good season for everyone and motivated to start the season.

"We [myself and Ten Hag] had a conversation, a positive conversation and he said good things.

"I believe in the manager, last season I didn't play a lot, but I think we will have good things this season."

Asked if he had considered leaving, Diallo replied: "I'm very happy here.

"I think everyone is happy with me because I smile with everyone, good energy. Why not stay here all my life?"

Diallo's FA Cup goal against Liverpool will go down in United folklore and the man himself is still processing the enormity of the strike, especially with the club going on to win the competition.

When asked if he still watches back the winner, he said: "Yeah, so many times. That goal was the most important goal of my life.

"I was very happy to score the goal. Even now I can’t believe it."

Diallo is happy to play across the frontline for United but confirmed that he was at his most comfortable when drifting in from a right-wing position, despite starting out centrally earlier in his career.

He said: "My first position was number 10 when I was at Atalanta. After that, a right winger, but I can play number 10, left winger, I can play everywhere in the forward line, I’m ready to play every single position.

“Right winger [is my favourite]. I have played there for a long time. That is my best position. I am more comfortable in that position."

Diallo will hope to be in action for United’s next pre-season match against Real Betis in San Diego.

Bruno Fernandes says Manchester United must "finish the season in the best way" following their 3-2 win over Newcastle United.

The United youngsters played starring roles, with Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund getting all three goals to close the gap to Newcastle in the table.

Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall both netted for the Magpies, with the latter setting up a nervy finish with his stoppage-time effort, but their lack of clinical edge meant United earned all three points.

Erik ten Hag’s side avoided a third consecutive defeat, and what would have been a record-breaking 10th home loss of the season, and Fernandes insists they must find a way to finish positively. 

Speaking to Sky Sports, the United captain said: "Obviously the job isn’t finished yet. We still have one game in the Premier League, then the biggest game of the season, the FA Cup final.

"It has been a tough season. The table shows that, and we are all aware of that. The fans have been amazing and behind us all season. We all appreciate what they have been doing for us.

"We want to do better and do differently. They [fans] have been amazing for us, and we had to do something. We have been trying, but results don’t show that. We have been working hard and everyone has been giving their best. It is not enough, and we have to do more.

"We still have two games to go, and we have to finish in the best way.

"It doesn’t exist, a captain's performance, it is a team performance. I am no different from anyone just because I have the armband. I always try my best, and we always do the best we can for the club – nobody hides that we play for a big club, and we have to lift our standards every game."

Despite returning to winning ways, United have now conceded 58 Premier League goals this season, their most across a single campaign in the competition.

Ten Hag was keen to turn the focus away from their struggling defence and onto the attacking players instead.

"Fantastic. Great goals. But it was a team effort how we made the goals. But I'm always happy at young players who are progressing very good and scored some brilliant goals," he told BBC Sport.

"Newcastle have a lot of physical power, and you have to match that, but you also have to play football. We had found the really good balance in this.

"It's always nice to win any game. It's important to win the last game at Old Trafford this season. The fans deserve this because they've had difficult times and always stayed with us.

"We are here together. We wanted to pay the fans back."

Amad Diallo will return to Manchester United this summer on a mission to catch the eye of manager Erik ten Hag.

The 20-year-old midfielder, a £19million signing from Atalanta in January 2021, has been one of the stars of Sunderland’s Sky Bet Championship campaign having endured a less than successful spell at Rangers during the second half of last season.

United’s loan manager Les Parry was on Wearside on Wednesday and Black Cats head coach Tony Mowbray, who admitted he wished the loan arrangement had been for two years, now expects the Ivory Coast international to get a chance to prove himself in pre-season.

Mowbray said: “I think Manchester United are happy, but I think the next step is for them to take him on pre-season to America. That’s what I think is going to happen. Then they’ll see how he gets on.

“They know what they’ve got, they bought him, but I think when the new manager came in, it was right on the cusp of whether they were going to keep him or not. He liked some of the stuff, but then he maybe wasn’t sure about other things.

“I’m sure he’s been watching Amad’s clips from games, just as I watch all of our players who are out on loan, and seeing what he can do.

“But he’ll need to see him on a daily basis and feel what he brings. I’m sure everyone will have an opinion on whether he’s good enough or not good enough for Manchester United, but the reality is that the manager needs to watch him, see and feel him in a game, and see what he brings.”

Amad has made 39 appearances for Sunderland and scored 12 goals heading into Monday’s trip to Preston, in which victory could yet propel the club into the play-offs at the end of their first campaign back in the second tier.