Diallo savours United high after capping fine week with heroic hat-trick

Amad Diallo was left to celebrate "one of the best weeks" of his life after his late hat-trick inspired Manchester United past Southampton.

Ruben Amorim's side seemed set for a fourth straight Premier League defeat at home after Manuel Ugarte's first-half own goal on Thursday.

However, Diallo equalised with just eight minutes remaining before volleying Christian Eriksen's lob past Aaron Ramsdale in the 90th minute.

The Ivorian winger added a late third to seal his match-winning treble after a Taylor Harwood-Bellis error, capping a fine week that saw Diallo extend his United contract until 2030.

"Maybe one of the best weeks in my life," Diallo said on TNT Sports. "I am very happy for this win. This team deserved to win this game so I am very happy."

Diallo became just the third player in Premier League history to score three times in the final 10 minutes of a game, joining two other United greats.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managed to do so against Nottingham Forest in February 1999 before Wayne Rooney repeated the trick against Hull City in January 2010.

The 22-year-old Diallo may now be United's new hero, though he lavished praise on his team-mates for the comeback.

"We know we have quality players in this team," he added. "We need sometimes to be more hungry in the final third. We showed at the end we were the best team.

"I am so happy for the win today because this team deserves it. In football you have to believe.

"We believed until the end and are very happy to win this game. We drew with Arsenal and Liverpool so the confidence was there. We are very happy."

Tap, hold and load in 4k #MUFC || #MUNSOU pic.twitter.com/LUPfcOYZ5u

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 16, 2025

Amorim, unsurprisingly, pinpointed Diallo as the key factor to coming back against the league's bottom side.

"Even in the first half, every time Amad gets the ball he can push the ball," the United boss told TNT Sports.

"He pushes the other team into the final third, that is really important. We didn't have a good game, but at this moment, winning is the most important thing."

Amorim removed Kobbie Mainoo at half-time and withdrew Ugarte in the second half, though insists United's players did not struggle due to a lack of enthusiasm.

"It seems like a lack of enthusiasm," he said. "Ugarte is late and Mainoo is late, Bruno Fernandes going outside when the ball is inside.

"It was not a lack of enthusiasm, it was a lack of control in the game."