Man Utd have massive Amad Diallo problem that Ruben Amorim may never fix

Manchester United have a problem with Amad Diallo. His brilliant volley secured a point at Nottingham Forest after he was also key to the wins over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton that preceded the draw with Forest. The Ivorian almost won it late on at the City Ground for the Red Devils only for a brilliant goal-line block to deny him. Yet at the other end of the pitch, Amad was targeted, with Callum Hudson-Odoi getting joy against the 23-year-old and Morgan Gibbs-White's headed goal coming as a result of his weakness in the air.

It's true that Ruben Amorim has done a lot for Amad. He was struggling for starts under Erik ten Hag but as a wing-back is now the go-to pick on the right-hand side. But deploying Amad in this role simply increases the amount of times he is put in uncomfortable situations. The biggest problem? It's also the only real route into the starting XI for the player under Amorim.

That's because Bryan Mbeumo, in the right wing role further ahead of Amad, has been one of United's best players this season with his five goals and one assist in 11 appearances. The summer signing and his fellow African forward have struck up a good understanding and a partnership to panic opposition defences.

But as the draw at Forest proved, it is a partnership that can also encourage opposition attacks. There are serious pros and cons of utilising Amad as a wing-back. He can be exploited defensively, as Hudson-Odoi and Gibbs-White found. But on the flip side he can also have a massive influence in the final third.

Ashley Williams, analysing United's draw on Match of the Day, said of Amad: "Conundrum is the correct word. He's in the team because of his attacking qualities but he can't play in the two No.10 positions because there's Mbeumo and [Matheus] Cunha who are playing really well.

"So he plays right wing-back and he finds himself in defensive positions, which isn't his strength. He was in a centre-back position trying to head a ball out which is not his strength and they concede from that.

"On the flip side, when he's going forward, he's devastating. The goal, what a strike, the technique is perfect. This isn't the player you want defending. He's in the team because of his attacking play but he ends up doing lots of defensive work and it looks bad on him. Ruben Amorim has got to sort this out where we get Leny Yoro across a bit quicker so he can play higher up the pitch."

In his own assessment, Amorim conceded that Amad "can do so much better" outside of the goal he scored. He added: "I know that Amad, one against one, is really dangerous. So sometimes we just expect that one guy that is not doing a great game can change the game for us. He managed to score, but again, we have potential to do so much better."

But Amorim has made it abundantly clear he will never change his 3-4-2-1 formation at Old Trafford. And that means unless Mbeumo is injured, Amad is resigned to starting matches at wing-back rather than in his preferred role further forward.

The Ivory Coast international is willing to sacrifice himself as he has full faith in the Portuguese coach's set-up. He said: "As a team, we are learning every day with the manager, with Ruben, because we believe in his system. We are trying to understand the system, and we are trying to do the best every game."

And he added on combining with Mbeumo: "I think we have a good relationship, especially because he speaks French. We are trying to have that relationship, not only on the pitch but even outside the pitch, to have that connection. We are trying to do the best on the right."

Clearly, right wing-back is where Amad's future lies under this manager. Yet the system isn't necessarily to blame because even a change of formation wouldn't help. You can't start both on the right wing - and that's where both players operate at their best.

Instead, Amorim will persevere with that current set-up. That means United will simply have to accept the trade-offs. There'll be many more match-defining moments like his Forest equaliser. There will also be more moments like the Gibbs-White header.