Diallo’s Late Heroics Seal Dramatic Comeback for Manchester United

Manchester United staged a sensational late comeback to beat Southampton 3-1 at Old Trafford, thanks to a 12-minute hat-trick from Amad Diallo. The 22-year-old etched his name in the club’s history books as the youngest player to score a Premier League hat-trick at Old Trafford, achieving the feat at 22 years and 189 days.

Match Summary

The game seemed destined for a Southampton victory after an own goal from Ugarte gave the Saints a deserved lead in the first half. Southampton had opportunities to extend their advantage, with Sulemana and Mateus Fernandes both coming close, but their failure to capitalize proved costly.

United’s xG of 3.20 underscored their attacking intent, yet it took until the 82nd minute for them to break through. Diallo drilled home the equalizer to ignite the comeback, before combining brilliantly with Christian Eriksen to score his second goal just minutes later.

A defensive blunder by Harwood-Bellis handed Diallo the chance to complete his hat-trick, and the young forward made no mistake, securing his first senior treble and a vital win for his side.

Historic Night for Diallo

Diallo’s performance was not only pivotal but historic. He became the second-youngest Manchester United player to score a Premier League hat-trick, behind only Wayne Rooney, who achieved the feat at 21 years and 4 days against Bolton in October 2006.

Team Impacts

The victory propels Manchester United to 12th in the Premier League standings and extends their unbeaten run against Southampton to 16 matches (W8 D8). This streak is now tied with their record for the longest ongoing unbeaten run against a single opponent in the competition, also achieved against Charlton Athletic.

For Southampton, the result compounds their struggles. They remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just six points and are now winless in their last 18 Premier League away games (D4 L14). This is the longest such run in the division since Aston Villa went 21 away games without a victory in September 2019.

Looking Ahead

United’s resurgence will boost morale as they look to climb further up the table, while Southampton must find answers quickly to avoid falling further adrift. For now, the night belongs to Amad Diallo, whose brilliance lit up Old Trafford and secured a dramatic win for the Red Devils.