WHEN you have Amad Diallo in your team, you always have a chance.

Sunderland have learnt that over the course of the season, If Birmingham weren't aware, then they are now having been on the receiving end of the youngster's brilliance.

As Saturday's game at the Stadium of Light approached the late stages with the teams locked at 1-1, the stubborn visitors, well organised and having done a good job of frustrating the hosts, will have been relatively confident they could see the game out for a hard-fought point.

Even when Manchester United loanee Amad collected a well weighted cross-field pass from Jack Clarke out on the far side and immediately headed for goal, John Eustace's side, who had defenders standing their ground, won't have felt overly concerned.

But this wasn't any ordinary attacker those defenders had running towards them. It was a youngster with quite staggering talent, far too good for the Championship, in truth, and capable of pulling off something from nothing.

And so Amad got to work. A drop of the shoulder, two lightning quick touches to make space for himself before a quite stunning finish into the bottom corner.

A magical moment that turned one point into three for Sunderland, who managed to avoid a repeat of the late Hull City heartbreak, even after Dennis Cirkin's sending off.

A draw, in all honesty, would have probably finally seen off Sunderland's play-off hopes, such is the number of teams jostling for position in a bid to gatecrash the top six.

Mowbray knew as much, which is why he "gambled" with his attacking second half substitutes. But taking Amad off never crossed his mind, for the head coach knows as well as anyone that when Diallo is on the pitch, Sunderland always have a chance.

So what happens next?

The likelihood is that Amad will only pull on a Sunderland shirt four more times. Or perhaps six - even seven - if the season is extended beyond the regular 46 fixtures.

Then what?

"I don't really know Amad intimately to know what drives him," pondered Mowbray.

"He loves football, he wants to play, so what do you do if you're at Manchester United? Are you happy just to be a Manchester United player and play six sub appearances and two starts over a season of 60 games, or do you want to go and play?

"So do they sell him? And if they do they'll want to recruit their money which was reputedly €40m or whatever it was.

"The reality is he won't be coming here unless they think he is going to be one hell of a player but he needs another year out, he enjoys Sunderland so he can go and keep playing for them.

"That would be the ideal scenario for us. Pretty unlikely but you never know. If they see him as someone they genuinely feel can play for their first team then they need to keep him on board.

"I would suggest they'll try another level. You would think he'll go to the Premier League or go back to Italy. My gut feeling for Amad is if he doesn't stay at Manchester United he goes for big, big money to a top Spanish team really."

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And yet, it's a big if at this stage, but what if Sunderland were to win promotion?

"If we do sneak into that scenario there's a much better chance he'd come back," admitted Mowbray.

"He'd be playing against Premier League teams every game and he's in an environment where he's already settled and likes the environment he's in."

When Birmingham took an early lead at the Stadium of Light through George Hall, Sunderland faced the very real prospect of waving any promotion hopes goodbye.

But thanks to Trai Hume's leveller, Amad's winner and Blackburn dropping points at home to Hull City on Saturday night, they're now very much in the mix, just two points adrift of the top six.

Tuesday's visit of Huddersfield is the biggest game of the season.Win it and the Black Cats will believe they stand every chance. With Amad in the team, they always have a chance.