Mbeumo's form offers rare bright spot as Man Utd draw at Leeds
Bryan Mbeumo scored his fourth goal in seven Premier League games but Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Leeds extended their winless run to six matches, prompting debate over standards at the club.
Bryan Mbeumo scored again as Manchester United drew 1-1 at Leeds United, a result that stretched Michael Carrick's side to six games without a win — their worst run since 2018-19. The Cameroon forward now has four goals in seven Premier League games, with only Bruno Fernandes, who scored a hat-trick against Ipswich in August, matching that kind of output in a squad where no other player has scored more than once.
Carrick said he had kept his headphones on during the week to avoid the external noise surrounding the club, much of it generated by Lisandro Martinez's pre-match criticism of sporting director Jason Wilcox and the hierarchy over summer recruitment. Wilcox watched from the stands, and Martinez started after apologising for the timing and forum of his comments rather than their content.
United's left-back situation underlined the wider squad concerns: Diogo Dalot became the fifth different player to start there this season, with Luke Shaw's fitness for Wednesday's Champions League trip to Como uncertain. Martinez went off at half-time with a thigh injury, and Carrick brought on Noussair Mazraoui rather than risk Matthijs de Ligt, who has only recently returned from almost 11 months out with a back problem. United ended the match 13th.
Mbeumo's contribution was not flawless — he missed a free header before scoring and failed to stop Dominic Calvert-Lewin's equaliser — but his flexibility has been vital amid Benjamin Sesko's shin injury and Fernandes' dip in form. Mbeumo has played on the right, as a number nine and, at Elland Road, on the left. Former United striker Dion Dublin told BBC Sport that in the current team players must simply go where it is best for the side, while Carrick praised Mbeumo's willingness to sacrifice for the team.
Reaction to the draw was split. Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports that treating a point at Leeds as a positive risks lowering standards, saying United should not be discussed in such terms. Carrick, by contrast, described the game as a kind of fresh start, insisting he is realistic about the situation but has no doubts his side can put together a good run.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
