At a Glance
- Manchester United travel to Bournemouth in the Premier League
- Mbeumo at risk of the drop
- Carrick has a big call to make in attack
For Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick, Friday evening’s game against Bournemouth holds high stakes.
The Red Devils finally have some breathing space ahead of the pack chasing them down for a Champions League qualification spot. United sit in third, three points clear of Aston Villa and five clear of arch rivals Liverpool.
The last time these two sides met was in a riveting 4-4 draw in December. Carrick was still a tactics correspondent for UEFA, and Ruben Amorim was United’s head coach.
At the same time, United had problems in front of goal as striker Benjamin Sesko was failing to feature much or score for his new side. The infamous 3-4-2-1 shape saw Matheus Cunha start up front and score that day.
Sesko firing, Mbeumo terrified
Since then, times have changed. Sesko is the club’s joint leading goalscorer in the Premier League with Bryan Mbeumo, with both netting nine goals.
Sesko bagged his fifth goal in seven games last time out in a 3-1 win over Aston Villa. He has primarily become a super-sub, prolific at taking his chances against fatigued defenders.
Carrick’s side are playing to his strengths, but it has not yet convinced the interim coach to start the Slovenian regularly. Starting up front has been Mbeumo, who has struggled since coming back from the African Cup of Nations with Cameroon.
The former Brentford man has failed to score in his last five games. There is no denying the quality of Mbeumo, characterised by his early form under Carrick.
Questions must be asked whether he should be dropped altogether or shifted back to his preferred right-wing position. From there, he can use the width and invert, as he does best. It would come at the expense of Amad Diallo, but healthy competition is a stark difference from United under Amorim.
A new combination?
Fans could excitedly see Sesko, Amad and Cunha start for the first time. Amad enjoyed a quiet resurgence in the victory against Villa, whilst Cunha was also on the scoresheet.
Sesko offers a physical presence and an aerial threat that Mbeumo does not. It would be of use against a Bournemouth side that are unpredictable in nature at the moment.
Starting the in-form Sesko allows United to occupy the likes of James Hill. The English centre-back has been one of the Premier League’s best defenders this campaign.
It is important for United to win this game and maintain momentum. The next time they step onto the pitch after Friday is on April 13th against Leeds United. It is a long wait, but Sesko is already itching to go now.
