Explosive United star is human after all, Carrick will drop him for Sesko vs. Palace – opinion

If there was one thing to look forward to during the darkest moments of the Ruben Amorim era, when tuning in to Manchester United was more of a chore than ever, it was watching Amad play.

The slight Ivorian, repurposed as a wing-back by the Portuguese coach, was an effervescent presence on the right flank and one of the few players capable of sending a frisson of excitement through a rapidly numbing fanbase.

Rose to the challenge

His shine was not dulled by his newfound defensive duties, which he carried out doggedly if not dominantly, while going forward he established himself as one of United’s most potent attacking threats. Only Bruno Fernandes ended last season with better figures than Amad, who scored 11 goals and laid on ten assists.

Considering only one of those goals came under Erik ten Hag, it’s fair to say that Amad rose above the general Amorim-induced malaise – an achievement in itself, and evidence of a mental strength to be remoulded from an out-and-out attacker to fill one of the most important and disciplined roles in the squad.

It’s safe to say that Amad was ticking multiple boxes – a hit with the manager, a hit with the fans, still young enough to have almost unlimited potential and apparently devoted to the club without any off-field histrionics.

Reality bites

Fast forward to February 2026 and the picture is similar, but subtly different. Amad still is all of those things, but it turns out he is also human like the rest of us.

The 23-year-old has been an almost ever-present under Michael Carrick, there during the giddy heights of four wins in a row and still there when the going got tough against West Ham and Everton.

The front three in which he stars alongside Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo has collectively started to flag, with United’s most potent attacking move bringing Benjamin Sesko off the bench.

At Everton, it was Amad who made way for the eventual matchwinner, and despite underwhelming performances across the forward line that was the right move to make.

No need to panic

Cunha was the other obvious candidate to be replaced, and the polarizing Brazilian has come in for his fair share of flak in recent weeks. He frequently flirts with pantomime villainy in a way Amad does not, so it is unsurprising that he takes more criticism. But it is fair and reasonable to observe that the young Ivorian has also been off his game, that his passes aren’t finding their man and his dribbles are being easily shut down.

Fortunately, Amad’s United career is marked by adversities observed and overcome. From almost departing under early Ten Hag to spearheading Amorim’s tactical revolution he is no stranger to reinvention and resilience.

United is a club which loves a superstar, and Amad is certainly in the running to be the next poster-boy Red Devil. This is his first major dip in form since hitting those levels and eyeballs will soon pivot to his return so far this season of two goals and three assists.

But he is now part of a functioning, cohesive attacking unit with less burden to shoulder alone meaning he can still be a key player without racking up numbers. And being part of that unit also means being open to the same criticism as its other members – we can still adore and believe in Amad while noting that he’s been below-par.

featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

The post Time for an Amad reality check amid Man United star’s struggle appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.