Why Amad Diallo won’t miss FA Cup semi-final after confusion over Manchester United star’s ban rule

Amad Diallo’s joy was somewhat dampened after scoring the winning goal for Manchester United against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday – but his red card did have some silver lining.

Having already received a yellow card in the 116th minute for a foul on Virgil van Dijk and obstruction of play, the Ivorian winger burst through in extra time to score the winning goal and send Old Trafford into ecstasy.

To celebrate his goal, Amad ripped off his shirt and received a second yellow card from referee John Brooks and was sent off.

This results in an automatic one-match suspension for the 21-year-old, but there was initially confusion as to which game he would miss.

English football recently introduced rules requiring certain bans to be served in the competition in which they were imposed, raising fears that Amad will miss United’s FA Cup semi-final against Coventry next month.

However, these rules only apply to suspensions due to multiple yellow cards, not red cards.

For example, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez did not sit out his team’s quarter-final win over Leicester after receiving two yellow cards in the FA Cup earlier in the season.

But Amad will serve his one-match ban in United’s next domestic fixture, regardless of the competition.

He will therefore miss the Premier League match against Brentford on March 30, before returning the following week when the Red Devils face Chelsea.

United will then face Liverpool and Bournemouth before facing Coventry at Wembley Stadium for a place in the final.

“What a game,” Amad told ITV after the match. “I think we deserved this win today. One of the best games of the season, so I’m very happy.”

“It was an important moment, I think it was the most beautiful goal of my career. I don’t think so, but this is football, so you have to believe in it at every moment. When (Alejandro Garnacho) gave me the ball, I wanted to give it to him again, but I shot.

“I forgot the first yellow card and am therefore very disappointed that I got the red card. But the most important thing for me was the win. Everyone came to me and said I deserved it. The most important thing for me today was the win.”