Manchester United take on Manchester City this weekend in a game which looks make-or-break for any potential title challenge.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has plenty of selection dilemmas to make ahead of the trip to the Etihad Stadium, but one man who should be included in the starting line-up is winter arrival Amad Diallo.
Signed from Atalanta, the 18-year-old has made just two substitute appearances for the Red Devils thus far this season, both in the Europa League.
However, he had an instant impact for the club’s under-23 setup, notching three goals and three assists in just two showings.
It is that form which should see him start ahead of fellow United youngster Mason Greenwood, who has netted just one goal in the Premier League this season from 21 appearances, that solitary strike coming back at the start of December.
Diallo’s statistics in his albeit limited senior appearances also paint a damning picture for Greenwood’s place in the side.
Across just 73 minutes in all competitions for both his former club and his new employers, the young Ivorian has averaged one shot, 0.5 key passes and one dribble per game, as well as being fouled on average 1.3 times per appearance, according to WhoScored.
These numbers are not too dissimilar to Greenwood’s 1.7 shots, 0.3 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game. However, he has only been fouled 0.6 times per appearance.
The greater attention and cynical play on Diallo from opposition, whilst not enhancing his own performance or goalscoring prospects, give opportunities to the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford to set their sights from free-kicks.
Those numbers could imply that the £13.5m-rated winger should certainly be in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s thoughts.
It is clear that former Red Devils man Paul Scholes is a fan of the young winger, too, labelling him a “real talent”.
Whilst United boss Solskjaer could decide it might be too early to blood Diallo in the melting pot of a Manchester derby, the youngster is certainly pushing for inclusion and should definitely be considered ahead of the woefully out-of-form Greenwood.
AND in more news, read why we think Jack Grealish is a must-buy for the Red Devils in the summer…