Bryan Mbeumo showed exactly why Manchester United spent £65 million to bring him to the Theatre of Dreams during the 4-2 win over Brighton on the weekend.
Manchester United made it three wins in a row in the Premier League by defeating Brighton on Saturday. Coming into the game, there was a lot of excitement after last week’s triumph at Anfield, and it felt like a win against the Seagulls could symbolise a big step in the right direction.
If there were any nerves inside the stadium, they were quickly settled by the team, particularly new signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
Both newcomers got on the scoresheet, as well as Casemiro who had a shot deflected past the goalkeeper. Despite the obvious quality the two possess, their most impressive attributes could be their work rate and mentality.
The bravery to take the ball in tight spaces as well as the determination to work back and help the team make them priceless additions to Amorim’s side.
An example just seven minutes into the game displayed just how valuable Bryan Mbeumo is to this team. Although the attack broke down due to an offside and a bad miss from Yankuba Minteh, Brighton had created a good chance that could’ve put United behind.
However, from this we could clearly see the outstanding work rate from Mbeumo as he was United’s deepest player, trying his best to track the run of Minteh to prevent him from scoring. This makes a noticeable difference to last season and is something United fans have not seen a lot of from attackers over the last few years.
Throughout the game, he continued to showcase his elite technical ability and attitude. He scored United’s third with a brilliant finish and then brought a huge sense of relief to the stadium when he smashed home the fourth in the 97th minute.
Some questioned the signing, mainly due to the price tag and the positive performances of Amad last season, but Mbeumo has fitted in perfectly into the team and has even struck up an impressive partnership with Amad on the right hand side.
Mbeumo is setting the example for others
After the match, Ruben Amorim was full of praise for the Cameroonian. He described Mbeumo as a “working machine” and highlighted the impact his linkup with Amad has had on the team this season.
“He’s improving when we’re organising the final third, the connection with Amad, it’s really hard to beat these two guys. They’re really fast, hard to beat 1v1,” he said.
United’s recruitment has been rightly questioned in previous years, but it looks like they’ve struck gold this summer. Mbeumo has brought bundles of quality in the final third, and United’s further three acquisitions have also made big impacts. Senne Lammens has added security in goal and Benjamin Sesko looks to be a promising striker for the future.
Cunha and Mbeumo were both signed with Premier League experience, which Amorim and INEOS seemed to prioritise in the window.
The two forwards have improved the team from top to bottom, bringing more intensity and attacking flair. Confidence is now flowing after United made it three wins on the bounce.
Have United turned a corner with Ruben Amorim?
Amorim is enjoying his best period in charge of the Reds and the future now looks bright. The media’s obsession with his system seems to have faded due to positive results. It was just a few weeks ago after the 3-1 defeat to Brentford where it felt like his days were numbered, but now United have some momentum and currently sit in the European places in the Premier League.
His signings have all been hits so far, and the spirit is really high. Against Brighton, the system worked perfectly, causing problems out wide and creating many chances for the forwards.
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Bryan Mbeumo’s goals will take the headlines, but his performances have been top class. This signing could be symbolic of what the future looks like at Old Trafford. A team that works for each other, never gives in, and plays with confidence. This is what the fans deserve.
Hopefully this is the start of something special for the club. Upcoming fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur will be challenging, but if the Reds perform the way they have recently, United could be looking at challenging for the Champions League places.
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