Loan Watch: Three Reds make debuts
Three Manchester United loanees made debuts for their new clubs at the weekend, after a busy end to the summer transfer window.
Amad, Ethan Galbraith and Charlie Wellens all secured temporary moves last week, in a bid to get an experience of first-team football lower down the leagues.
Amad and Galbraith were introduced from the bench for Sunderland and Salford City, with the former playing in front of the Sky Sports television cameras at Middlesbrough on Monday night. Unfortunately, the Ivorian couldn’t turn the game around, with Riley McGree’s 25th-minute goal proving to be the game decider.
“He’s sharp, he’s quick, he’s nippy and he has to bring it really, every football match if he gets his opportunity and he will get his opportunity,” Tony Mowbray said of Amad after the game, before talking about the Black Cats’ new arrivals generally.
“Hopefully they’re options for us and to start with they'll be options off the bench, but they have to try and grow into this football club and show everybody the talent they have.”
👏 Thank you for your support this evening.
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) September 5, 2022
On to Saturday back at home 🏠❤️ pic.twitter.com/Gpyjev51nz
Galbraith had a little more joy, playing out the closing stages of Salford’s 2-2 draw with Crawley Town, but Wellens suffered defeat with Oldham Athletic, who succumbed to two early goals from National League table-toppers Chesterfield.
The last two winners of the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award in Alvaro Fernandez and Hannibal shared a pitch at Deepdale, as Birmingham City ended Preston North End’s unbeaten start to the season. Maxime Colin scored the only goal of the game for Blues – amazingly, the first PNE have conceded in the league – with Hannibal replacing Scott Hogan for the final five minutes.
Fernandez also came off the bench for his second appearance since returning from injury.
Also in the Championship, Ethan Laird played the full 90 minutes for QPR against former loan club Swansea City, with the Swans running out 1-0 winners at the Liberty Stadium.
Goalkeepers Dean Henderson and Dermot Mee were on the losing sides for Nottingham Forest and Altrincham respectively.
Forest led Bournemouth 2-0 only to succumb to an amazing Cherries fightback, while Alty suffered a 5-1 reverse at Solihull Moors.
Eric Bailly was an unused substitute as Marseille’s excellent start to the Ligue 1 season continued with a 2-0 win at Auxerre.
Alex Telles and Will Fish also remained on the bench, for Sevilla and Hibernian respectively.
The Andalusians were beaten 3-0 at home by a resurgent Barcelona, while Hibs secured a 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock.