Erik ten Hag hints Amad Diallo may finally get his first Man United start of the season… as Reds boss denies he favours misfiring duo Marcus Rashford and Antony too much

Erik ten Hag has promised Amad Diallo his patience will be rewarded with a first Manchester United start of the season – as he denied accusations he favours Marcus Rashford and Antony.

Winger Amad, 21, has impressed off the bench for United this season, notably when scoring the winner in the 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final epic against Liverpool.

Ten Hag has yet to start the Ivorian but that could potentially change when United host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Neither Rashford nor Antony have impressed this season but Ten Hag denied he’d been too loyal to the pair even when Amad returned to full fitness after a knee injury.

‘First of all, Amad had a very bad injury, so for a long period in this season he was out and wasn’t available,’ Ten Hag said.

The Ivorian produced one of United’s moments of the season when he scored a dramatic late winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals

Ten Hag feels Amad is deserving of more opportunities after injury disrupted his early season

‘But he returned and needed some time to get back, to get match fit. He needed training and, in some areas, he needed to catch up. So it’s fair now that he gets the minutes.

‘He has to keep fighting, set his performances in the minutes he gets – not gets, but deserves, and from there you get your position in the starting line-up.

‘Amad is doing really well, but we have a lot of competition in the front line and I know, with front players especially, you have to give them trust.

‘But they also have to prove it and there comes a certain point where things turn around and go against them.

‘If you assess, you say Antony played a very good game against Chelsea, for instance, but then from a low perspective I didn’t play him against Liverpool.

‘He also played very well against Newport, but then I put him on the bench in the game after.

‘So there’s always a thin line between giving them trust, but there comes a point where other players will get more chances, that’s clear.’

Rashford has contributed eight goals and five assists this season, while Antony has come up with two goals and two assists, though three of those four contributions came against League Two Newport in the FA Cup. 

Ten Hag denied a suggestion he is too loyal to misfiring wide attackers Marcus Rashford (left) and Antony (right)

United fans on X called for Amad to be given a proper opportunity in the side. 

‘Amad Diallo not getting minutes in this Manchester United side is absolutely CRIMINAL,’ said one post.

Another fan wrote: ‘Amad deserves so many more minutes, he’s being ruined at this football club and I hate it.’

Ten Hag’s side, who beat Sheffield United 4-2 in midweek, are 13 points off the fourth Champions League place as it stands ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Burnley.