3 shots, 1 goal, 12/13 passing: this United player was impeccable with the ball at his feet in 2-0 win over Man City

It was a perfect start to life at Manchester United for Michael Carrick as he led his players to an emphatic 2-0 win over bitter rivals Manchester City. In what was his first game in charge as interim head coach, Carrick seemed to make every correct tactical decision, from his starting XI to his formation and even his substitutions. This included his selection of Bryan Mbeumo as his striker, an unconventional choice that reaped a massive award. Leading the charge While many may have expected Benjamin Sesko to start, given his three goals in his last two matches, Carrick made the unorthodox decision of playing Mbeumo as his sole striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The Cameroonian was highly involved in the attack from the start, getting his head to a long ball from Amad Diallo, which went wide. In the second half, Mbeumo raced into the box to get on the end of a Bruno Fernandes cross, only for his shot to be saved. Finally, in the 65th minute, the forward got the reward he deserved, sprinting up the field in a blistering counter-attack to get on the end of another pass from Fernandes, which he slotted into the net. Upon inspecting his statistics, Mbeumo’s performance seems even more impressive. Mbeumo’s game in numbers PlayerBryan Mbeumo Goals1 Expected goals (xG)0.8 Assists0 Expected assists (xA)0 Total shots3 Expected goals on target (xGOT)0.48 Shots on target2 Shots blocked0 Big chances missed1 Touches23 Unsuccessful touches2 Dribbles (successful)2 (0) Possession lost7 Key passes0 Crosses (accurate)1 (0) Accurate passes12/13 (92%) Passes in opposition half (acc.)5/6 (83%) Passes in own half (acc.)7/7 (100%) Ground duels (won)2 (0) Aerial duels (won)2 (0) Mbeumo took three shots in total, with two being on target. While he missed one big chance, he still managed to grab United’s opening goal. What makes his attacking performance all the more impressive is that he got only 23 touches, meaning that he truly made the most of his limited time on the ball. This is even more respectable when considering that he usually plays as a number 10 or winger, meaning he was effectively playing out of position. While unable to win either of his ground duels or any of his two aerial duels, Mbeumo’s passing was impeccable. He completed 12 of 13 passes (92% accuracy), while seven of his passes within his own half were successful. While he wasn’t the player that most spectators would have expected to lead United’s front line, Mbeumo produced a passionate display to hand United a crucial goal in what was a truly impressive performance in front of a euphoric Old Trafford crowd. featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.