Manchester United players are currently involved in the dramas of international football with FIFA World Cup qualification at stake
Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United warms up
Bryan Mbeumo is one of several Manchester United stars on international duty this week
(Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Manchester United are looking at a far from ideal situation regarding Bryan Mbeumo, approaching the end of the ongoing international break. The winger is in the midst of a FIFA World Cup qualification battle with Cameroon that is reaching a tense climax.
United's £71m summer signing Mbeumo starred last Thursday as Cameroon defeated Eswatini 3-0 in Yaounde. The result kept the Indomitable Lions only a single point behind Cape Verde, who simultaneously defeated Mauritius, in Africa's World Cup qualifying group D.
Only the nations that finish top of Africa's qualifying groups earn automatic passage to next summer's World Cup finals. This leaves Cameroon with three matches to leapfrog Cape Verde, who are their next opponents.
Their meeting takes place this coming Tuesday, September 9, in Praia. Only victory will do for Mbeumo and his teammates if they want to take control of their own fate.
For United, they can only hope their new attacker returns fit and healthy for the resumption of the Premier League next weekend.
The fact he is playing as late as Tuesday night is far from ideal for Ruben Amorim, who will want his players back in training for the first Manchester derby of the season next Sunday.
Meanwhile, United's Marcus Rashford - who is spending the season on loan to La Liga side Barcelona - featured for England in their 2-0 win over Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.
The 27-year-old was selected to start by Thomas Tuchel but from The Telegraph's account, it was an afternoon to forget for Rashford.
They wrote: "It was in front of Aston Villa’s famous Holte End that Marcus Rashford had convinced Thomas Tuchel that he was worth another chance with England, but back on familiar territory, he missed a big opportunity to press home his bid to go to the World Cup.
"Rashford was not alone in putting in a lacklustre performance against Andorra, but others have more recent credit in the bank. The Barcelona loanee needs to perform now to prove he is worthy of a place and this showing provided more questions than answers.
"He has started one game for Barcelona so far, in which he was substituted at half-time. A run-out at Villa Park, where he caught Tuchel’s eye on loan at Villa last season, should have been the perfect environment for him to dazzle. But, instead, he disappeared.
"England’s head coach acknowledged that Rashford is yet to provide the wow-factor for him, but insisted he had earned his place."
Also, Bruno Fernandes featured in Portugal's comfortable 5-0 victory over Armenia on Saturday night, whilst Benjamin Sesko provided a crucial last-minute assist as Slovenia drew 2-2 with Sweden on Friday night.
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