Mbeumo’s goal offers Carrick a glimmer of hope as United’s winless streak continues
Bryan Mbeumo found the net again at Elland Road, marking his fourth strike in seven Premier League appearances for Manchester United. Apart from Bruno Fernandes, who recorded a hat‑trick against Ipswich in August, no other player under Michael Carrick has scored more than once this season.
United held Leeds United to a 1‑1 draw, a result that mirrored their performance against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, when they conceded inside the opening minute. After the match, Carrick told BBC Radio 5 Live that he had been listening with headphones all week, so he missed the external noise surrounding Lisandro Martinez’s outburst. He acknowledged that the team must eventually turn draws into wins, noting that the club are now six games without a victory – the longest run without a win since the 2018‑19 campaign, when form collapsed after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was confirmed as permanent manager.
Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports, “Because they haven’t lost at Leeds, we’re thinking United have done all right, but in some ways that is a negative. We are dropping the standards. We shouldn’t really be talking about Manchester United like that.”
The pre‑match atmosphere was tense after Martinez criticised sporting director Jason Wilcox and the United hierarchy for what he called a failure to recruit effectively over the summer. Wilcox was in the stands at Elland Road, and Martinez started the game after apologising for the timing and venue of his comments rather than the words themselves.
United’s left‑back position has been unsettled, with Diogo Dalot becoming the fifth different starter in that role this season, highlighting the lack of competition for Luke Shaw. Shaw’s fitness for Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Serie A side Como remains uncertain, and the constant changes have not helped Carrick’s plans. Martinez left the field at halftime with a thigh injury, and with Matthijs de Ligt still managing a delicate recovery from a long‑standing back problem, Carrick opted to bring on full‑back Noussair Mazraoui instead of the Dutch defender.
The Red Devils sit 13th in the league table, with the possibility of slipping further before the season’s end. Unlike his predecessor, Carrick was able to put a positive spin on the situation. “It felt like a bit of a fresh start today, to be honest, with where we’re at – accepting it and doing something about it,” he said. “I’m not accepting it as everything’s great by any stretch. I’m realistic with that. Sometimes you do struggle. Sometimes there’s a bit where you have to find a way through. There has been a cycle at times here over a period of time when it can go in different directions. We’ve got to be stable enough to keep doing the right things. We’re more than capable of winning football matches. I understand the situation doesn’t look too good if you look at it from a certain way, but I have no doubts that we can go on a good run.”
Mbeumo’s contribution was not flawless. He missed a free‑header before scoring, and later failed to stop Dominic Calvert‑Lewin from equalising shortly after the break. Nevertheless, his performances have been crucial in a campaign where many of Carrick’s attacking players are underperforming. Bruno Fernandes, once the Premier League assists record holder, has looked a shadow of his former self, even though the manager has insisted the Portuguese is “absolutely fine”. Striker Benjamin Sesko remains sidelined with a shin injury, increasing Mbeumo’s importance.
Initially deployed on the right after Amad Diallo’s injury, Mbeumo moved to the central striker role when Diallo returned, and was shifted to the left for the Leeds game as Fernandes operated more centrally. Former United striker Dion Dublin told BBC Sport, “When you are the kind of player who can be very good in a lot of positions, managers will always say: ‘Can you do this? Can you do that?’ When you’re in this Manchester United team at the moment, you just have to go where is best for the team.”
Carrick was effusive in his praise of the Cameroon forward. “Bryan gives so much to the team,” he said. “He sacrifices so much. He’s willing to do pretty much anything that needs to be done.”