Michael Carrick has praised the upwards form of Manchester United loanee Amad after the 21-year-old scored to help Sunderland defeat his Middlesbrough side on Sunday.
After missing a good opportunity in the first half, the Ivory Coast international made up for it by firing home a sumptuous, low-curling effort nine minutes from time as the Black Cats ran out 2-0 winners in Sunday’s North East derby.
Amad has now scored seven goals in his last 13 Championship starts as he thrives amid regular game time under Tony Mowbray. He’s also bagged two assists in the process.
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Carrick worked with Amad while coaching at United, and named him in his matchday squad in two of his three games as caretaker manager, albeit the youngster failed to get onto the pitch during is short tenure.
Speaking after the loss to Sunderland, Carrick was full of praise for Amad. “He does what he does," he said. "He’s really talented, Amad. Good in tight spaces and does what he does with the ball.
“For the goal, that’s what he brings and I think that’s what he’s maybe brought a bit more is his end product from when I knew him when he was a little bit younger a couple of years ago. He’s doing really well."
He unpacked the form of Amad pre-match when speaking to Sky Sports, outlining how he has become “a threat” in the Championship. Carrick explained: "I know Amad very well from United.
“He's a terrific footballer and seems to have jumped up a level again from the start of the season. His performances have improved and he is a threat.
“He's a talented player, really smooth on the ball and has a lovely feel for how he takes the ball. He's sharp, has injection and he sees space very well. Obviously I know him and have watched him very closely. He's not easy to stop because he's one of the better players.”
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