Wayne Rooney reveals he was ‘unsure’ about Man United star who now ‘belongs’ at Old Trafford
The tide appears to be turning at Manchester United as Ruben Amorim’s men continued their recent resurgence over the weekend.
Man United’s 4-2 win over Brighton moved them up to sixth in the Premier League and extended their winning run to three matches.
Goals from Matheus Cunha, Casemiro and a Bryan Mbeumo brace left the majority in Old Trafford delighted, even if Patrick Dorgu was criticised against Brighton.
The Red Devils travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, November 4, looking to extend their unbeaten run to four matches, but before then, Wayne Rooney has picked out one individual for praise.
Wayne Rooney was ‘unsure’ about Man United signing Bryan Mbeumo
Supporters will be pleased to see that things are starting to click under Amorim, but one player who has been consistently brilliant for United is Mbeumo.
The Cameroon international doubled his goal tally to four this term with his well-taken strikes against the Seagulls, and he has unsurprisingly been the subject of widespread praise.
Mbeumo joined Man United from Brentford in the summer; however, his arrival left Rooney ‘unsure’ about whether he could manage the pressure of playing for a big club.
Speaking on his BBC Sport podcast, Rooney said: “His [Bryan Mbeumo’s] energy, his work-rate, his desire, is what you need to be a United player.
“I did say that I was a little bit unsure about Mbeumo, but I think what he’s shown is he belongs there.
“He’s been consistent with his performances, I think that’s the main thing. If you’re consistently getting into the right positions and getting chances, you will score 20 goals a season.”
Even when United were struggling under Amorim, Mbeumo was one of the few who could hold his head high, and he’s now an integral part of their fast breaks on the counter-attack.
What Ruben Amorim has said about Mbeumo
Man United’s recruitment has often been criticised, and that is why during the summer, they made it their mission to sign proven Premier League players.
Having starred at Wolves and Brentford, respectively, Cunha and Mbeumo were seen as the perfect candidates to transform their attack, something supporters have since witnessed.
Mbeumo has flourished as a right-sided number 10, while his pace and explosiveness has been key in transition, with Amorim praising the 26-year-old following the win over Brighton.
“He’s a working machine. He’s so good in transitions. He’s improving when we are organising the final third,” said the head coach, before praising his connection with Amad Diallo at right wing-back.
“[It] is really hard to beat these two guys because they change positions, they are really fast, they are good in one against one.”
Mbeumo hit the 20-goal mark for Brentford last term, and he’s already on track to match or even beat that record at Old Trafford.