Amad Diallo issues Sunderland AFC message as Black Cats head to Wembley | OneFootball

Diallo was spotted watching the semi-final against Coventry at the Stadium of Light

Former Sunderland loan favourite and Manchester United winger, Amad Diallo, has given his thoughts on the Black Cats' progression into the Championship play-off final.

The Ivorian was part of the last Black Cats side to achieve a top-six finish, having been a part of Tony Mowbray's side that would eventually come unstuck against Luton Town back in May 2023. However, Amad was spotted at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night for the dramatic contest which sees his former club return to Wembley Stadium for the first time in three years to take on Sheffield United.

He and the rest of the 46,530 sell-out crowd on Wearside couldn't have dreamt up a more dramatic finish to the cagey two-legged contest with Coventry City. Dan Ballard's 121st-minute header cancelled out Ephron Mason-Clark's tidy strike in normal time which levelled the aggregate scores, with the centre-back's stooping header seeing the North East side progress 3-2 in the end, having won the first encounter 2-1 at the CBS Arena.

Plenty of former Mackems players had already given Regis Le Bris' team their well-wishes heading into yet another post-season campaign for the club heading into last Thursday's first leg in the West Midlands, before doing so in an even more celebratory manner this time around as a shot at ending their lengthy Premier League absence lies in wait

Amad Diallo issues message which Sunderland supporters will love after Coventry City drama

As is the case with plenty of stars who have pulled on the famous red and white stripes, Sunderland have earned a strong place in Diallo's heart despite his current exploits at Old Trafford in what has been a disappointing season for his current employers on the whole.

By comparison, his loan spell under Mowbray in the 2022/23 season couldn't have gone much better with a tally of 13 goals and three assists across 37 games in the regular second-tier season.

He saved his best goal until last with a stunning free-kick against the Hatters in the first leg of the play-off semi-final on Wearside, which his side won 2-1, before losing 2-0 at Kenilworth Road and, subsequently, 3-2 overall.

However, with the shoe firmly on the other foot this time around for Sunderland, the 22-year-old was quick to respond to an official club post on X after dramatic scenes ensued after Ballard's goal and the final whistle.

"Congrats lads," Diallo's response began. "Back where you deserve to be."

The latter of the two statements was also coupled with a prayer emoji, making it clear who the wide man will be rooting for when the final comes around on May 24th.

Sunderland could be facing off against Amad Diallo next season

Not only would promotion to the elite level of English football in North London also present owner, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, with at least an income of £220m, it would see the Black Cats face off against Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Amad's United outfit, who could also win silverware themselves in the coming days.

Diallo has featured 40 times for the Red Devils this season across all competitions, by far the most he has made in a season for them since his £37.2m move from Atalanta in 2021 with loan spells in the North East and with SPFL giants, Rangers, sandwiched in between.

His most memorable moment, however, isn't likely to be his sublime set-piece against Luton for the Mackems these days, having netted a last-gasp winner for Ruben Amorim's side at the Etihad Stadium in December, and could lift the UEFA Europa League in Bilbao next week against Tottenham Hotspur, as two of the top-flight's major underachievers go head-to-head.