Erik ten Hag made 11-word Amad confession before former coach explained stance

Former Manchester United manger Erik ten Hag once admitted that the club's current star winger, Amad, should have seen more game time during his tenure.

Amad has been a shining light for United this season, boasting six goals and six assists, along with a string of remarkable performances. His standout moment came on Thursday night when he scored an incredible hat-trick in just 12 minutes against Southampton, saving United from potential humiliation and leading them to a 3-1 comeback victory at Old Trafford.

Under the guidance of new United head coach Ruben Amorim, the 22-year-old has also delivered impressive performances against fierce rivals Liverpool, Manchester City and Everton in recent months.

These displays have convinced fans that they have a real rising talent in their midst, yet Ten Hag previously said of his young star that "he deserved more game minutes, but I have to choose there", insinuating he wasn't quite ready and he needed to choose more senior players.

It's uncertain whether giving the talented winger more playing time would have eased some of the pressure on Ten Hag. The Dutchman did field Amad in several matches this season before his dismissal in October. However, it could be argued that the ex-United boss had a gem in his squad but perhaps lacked the vision to recognise it, as he often preferred other players – even flop Antony at times – over Amad.

For the sake of balance, Amad spent a successful season out on loan at Sunderland in Ten Hag's first season at the club, and the 54-year-old later accepted that he should have used the starlet more regularly. Yet his hands were perhaps tied due to Amad spending a lengthy time on the sidelines through injury, which limited him to just 12 starts for