Why Amad Diallo won't miss FA Cup semi-final after suspension rule confusion for Manchester United ace

Amad Diallo’s joy was tempered slightly after he scored Manchester United’s winner against Liverpool in Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final - but there was a silver lining to his red card.

Having already been booked for tripping Virgil van Dijk and holding up play in the 116th minute, the Ivorian winger then raced through in stoppage time of extra time to net the winner and send Old Trafford into delirium.

In celebration, Amad whipped his shirt off and was subsequently given his second yellow card to be sent off by referee John Brooks.

That will lead to an automatic one-match ban for the 21-year-old but there was initially some confusion over what game he would miss.

Rules recently introduced in the English game mean certain suspensions are served in the competition they are accrued in, leading to fears that Amad will be ruled out of United’s FA Cup semi-final against Coventry next month.

However, those rules only apply to bans for multiple yellow cards - not red cards.

For example, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez sat out his team’s quarter-final win over Leicester having previously picked up two bookings in the FA Cup earlier in the campaign.

But Amad will serve his one-game ban in United’s next domestic match, no matter what the competition is.

Therefore he will miss the Premier League game with Brentford on March 30, before returning the following midweek when the Red Devils face Chelsea.

United then face Liverpool and Bournemouth before their Wembley date with Coventry for a place in the final.

“What a game,” Amad told ITV post-match. “Today I think we deserved this win. One of the best games of the season so I'm very happy.

“It was an important moment, I think it was the best goal of my career. I don't believe, but this is football so you need to believe 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 so I'm really disappointed to get the red card but the most important for me was to get the win. Everyone came to me and said I deserved it. The most important [thing] for me today was the win.”