Manchester United impressed at the Strawberry Arena on Saturday, picking up a deserved 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in their third pre-season game of the summer.
Shea Lacey impressed in the No.10 position, while Michael Carrick will be pleased with the impact Bryan Mbeumo had while leading the line on his own.
The head coach decided to drop Joshua Zirkzee, the hero from the Rosenborg game, in favour of deploying the Cameroonian as the striker.
After a lukewarm end to the 2025/26 campaign, all eyes are on the former Brentford ace to see if he can recapture the form he exhibited in the first half of the previous campaign.
Bryan Mbeumo on his preferred position
He certainly responded to his critics in style, grabbing a brace against the Champions League semi-finalists.
After being utilised down the right, Amad’s return saw Bryan Mbeumo occupy the No.9 position. The 26-year-old’s versatility will be a major asset for Carrick next season.
MUTV caught up with the Cameroon international after the game, and the forward was asked to reveal his preferred position.
He explained that he loves to play in either role, but has more experience of playing out wide from his days as a Bee.
Scoring makes Bryan Mbeumo happy
“I’m fortunate to be able to play both positions, so it’s difficult to choose. I’ve had some really good performances on the right wing and also as a striker.
“I think I’m more experienced on the wing, so I’d probably say that. But I enjoy playing as a striker as well.”
Opening his account after three pre-season games also pleased the Avallon-born attacker.
“For an attacking player, it’s always a great feeling to score for the team and the fans. It’s also really good to provide assists. Seeing everyone happy — the supporters and my teammates — makes it a special feeling.”
Pre-season going according to plan
Victory over Rosenborg was not seen as a major achievement by critics, but the dominance shown by the Red Devils against Diego Simeone’s men will have sent out a clear message.
Bryan Mbeumo revealed that all the hard work being put in during training is paying off and that the head coach’s plan worked to perfection against the Spanish giants.
“We had a clear plan before the game, and everyone stuck to it. That made the game really enjoyable.
“We work really hard in training for games like this. The main goal is to be ready for the start of the season, and I think everyone has done an amazing job so far.”
Up next is a blockbuster tie against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. It will be interesting to see how the 20-time English league champions perform then and where the United No.19 plays.
Feature image Michael Campanella via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently the Deputy Managing Editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
