‘It was too easy for him’ – Is the next stage of Bryan Mbeumo’s evolution to become Man Utd’s main number nine? | OneFootball

Bryan Mbeumo’s move into a more central position proved crucial in Manchester United’s derby win over rivals Manchester City on Saturday.

The forward, returning to the United side for the first time since taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish to beat Gianluigi Donnarumma.

It has been a long journey for the Cameroon international from starting out as a youngster at Troyes in France to becoming one of Manchester United’s key players.

The 26-year-old began as an out-and-out winger for the French side, but former Troyes boss Rui Almeida, who gave Mbeumo his first-team debut, recalls how it was evident that he would be wasted in that role.

“I remember that he was a right winger, a traditional right winger,” Almeida told Hayters.com.

“After a few matches, a few months, we challenged him because it was too easy to play as a winger. And I told him, to grow up, to go further as a player, to understand and to learn to play in the middle.

“I think, really, it was fantastic, because he finished as a second striker with us and he did really well.

“I think he had so much to give to the match, to the team. I think it was important to play in the middle.”

Under former boss Ruben Amorim, Mbeumo had not been used as a traditional winger, instead playing most frequently behind the central striker.

He has adapted well to life at his new club following his summer move from Brentford, scoring seven goals in 17 Premier League games this season.

But his performance through the middle against Manchester City and the constant threat he posed the City back line begs the question as to whether new head coach Michael Carrick can get even more out of him by playing him as the main number nine.

He regularly switched between playing in a right-wing role as part of a front three, and a central striker as part of a front two at Brentford, performing the latter role when the Bees would switch to a back three against tougher opposition.

Benjamin Sesko was signed by Amorim to play that central striker role in his front three. And while the Slovenia international has shown glimpses of his potential this season, scoring twice in the recent 2-2 draw with Burnley, he has scarcely looked as much of a threat as Mbeumo did in that position on Saturday.

Ultimately, Mbeumo can be effective in either role he plays. But the signs suggest the next stage of his evolution, and to reach the next level, could be to become a proper number nine. It would also allow Carrick to fit Amad into his side as a right winger.

For Almeida, who now coaches Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi in Morocco, Mbeumo’s career and his move to Manchester United is a sense of enormous pride.

“From the beginning, I think his mindset at the time really separated him from the other talents in his age, that was the difference for him,” he explained.

“His mental capacities, and as I started, the way he wants so much to learn, to improve, and the way he was able to understand, and we correct him, we help him, and he wanted always to learn more.

“He improved a lot. And that’s why, after that, he started to score goals. Even a couple of matches, we brought him to the middle. Really, not only because he scores goals, but also, the way he moves for the team, the way he works for the team.

“The way he improved so fast, we gave him the chance and he grabbed it with two hands.”