A LITTLE RED DEVIL finally gave Manchester United a glimpse of European heaven after so many dark days – 383 to be exact.
Amad Diallo at 5ft 8in was the smallest man on the pitch last night.
Put the pocket dynamo of footballing excellence was the one using his head to loop the ball into the far side of the net in the 50th minute.
Then in the 77th minute, the tenacity of the Ivory Coast international saw him wrestle the ball into his possession before he released a stunning drive for his second.
The 22-year-old is a star and he is only going to shine brighter and brighter as the years go on.
He decided this Europa League contest and gave Manchester United only their second victory in Europe in 12 games.
In fact, it was just over a year ago that they had anything to shout about away from domestic football and then it needed a last-gasp Andre Onana penalty save for a 1-0 win over Copenhagen.
So this was something of an achievement given recent travails for a club that used to strike fear into the hearts of teams on the continent.
This is a very different United, though. The fans visiting from Greece came with huge optimism.
They had spent the afternoon enjoying Manchester’s City centre and were in full voice long before kick-off and throughout the game.
Man Utd ratings vs PAOK
SUNSPORT’S Phil Thomas reveals which Man Utd players would have impressed incoming boss Ruben Amorim against PAOK.
ANDRE ONANA – 6
One great tipover to keep out a Camara half-volley.
But any other stops were pretty routine.
NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 6
Another solid, if unspectacular, display.
An increasingly dependable presence by the week.
VICTOR LINDELOF – 6
Flat-footed once in the first half, but rarely flustered thereafter.
Started a few attacks as well.
JONNY EVANS – 6
Wise old head at the back.
But lucky to get away with going AWOL for one second half chance.
DIOGO DALOT – 4
Usually reliable, but shoddy with so much of what he did, and his delivery wasn’t great either.
Surprising he wasn’t hooked earlier.
CASEMIRO – 6
Starting point for most of what United did going forward.
Although that wasn’t a great deal to be honest.
MANUEL UGARTE – 5
Still far from the midfield general United hoped.
Distribution disappointing too. No shock when subbed off.
AMAD – 8 (STAR MAN)
Livewire runs, impressive closing down, the crucial opening goal…and a stunning second.
United’s best player by some distance.
BRUNO FERNANDES – 7
Knocked some marvellous passes, always looking to create.
At least someone was!
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 6
Close with one header and a couple of decent runs, but all in all a quiet night.
Hooked.
RASMUS HOJLUND – 5
One early header aside, little to work with apart from chasing hopeful balls.
No clear sights of goal, either.
SUBS
Rashford (for Garnacho 64) 6
Eriksen (for Ugarte 64) 6
Martinez (for Dalot 64) 6
Mount (for Amad 81) 6
Zirkzee (for Hojlund 90) N/A
Even at 2-0 down they kept going but it was the home faithful who had the most to shout about.
Having said that, the Greek Champions would produce the best effort of the first half when Mady Camara’s volley was toughed over by Andre Onana.
Before that, there was some exciting attacking play from Alejandro, Garnacho, 20, on the left as always, but even better was Diallo on the right.
The 22-year-old was in for Marcus Rashford who was benched and he was going to take his chance with some eye-catching play for incoming boss Ruben Amorim to enjoy from Lisbon.
He got an early whack from Abdul Baba but he will not be intimidated.
He had a penalty shout when he was bundled over by Baba who failed to win the ball. Despite a VAR check, there was no spot-kick given.
Amad was firing balls in from the right and when he found Rasmus Hojlund in the centre of the box his header was straight at the goalkeeper.
Diallo puts the work in too and when he sprinted from his flank to the left to block a clearance the crowd roared.
The two young wingers almost combined to break the deadlock when Garnacho raced to the byline to whip the ball across the face of the goal.
Diallo could just not reach it at the far post. United began the second half on the front foot.
Fernandes was running the show with his short and long-range passes.
It was his deep ball to the far post that was met by the jumping Diallo who nodded an arching ball through the sky, over the goalkeeper and in.
He may have been just trying to get it back across goal to Rasmus Hojlund, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.
Off he raced to the corner flag, kissing the United badge, while a VAR check took place.
Nobody quite knew why, though, but it did give Diallo a second chance to celebrate when the referee confirmed the goal.
He could have had a second soon after.
With another searching ball, Fernandes picked out his run and after racing into the box his shot was well saved by goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski denying him with an outstretched leg.
Garnacho dragged the spotlight across the pitch to him when he went on a wriggling run through three players in the box before hitting the deck.
Again there were cries for a penalty again they were waved away.
With a slender lead, United still had to be careful and they were caught napping in the 64th minute for what should have been the PAOK equaliser.
Taison’s ball rolled unhindered past those in red and settled at the feet of Tarik Tissoudall.
There was nobody near him and in football terms, he had all the time in the world, but shot straight at Onana.
He held his head in his hands as did his teammates as The Stretford End breathed a sigh of relief.
The sighs turned to roars when substitute Christian Eriksen launched a ball forward that PAOK’s Baba seemed to have under control.
But Diallo was snapping at his heels, forced him off the ball, ran away with it and then from the edge of the area fired a curling drive home.
What a goal, what a night for Diallo.
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