Manchester United drew with Everton as they won the Premier League Summer Seriesplaceholder image
Manchester United drew with Everton as they won the Premier League Summer Series | Getty Images
The main talking points and match highlights as Man Utd defeated Everton in their final US tour match.
Manchester United fans have had to wait a while, but they finally got to see Bryan Mbeumo in action as they drew 2-2 with Everton in the final match of the Premier League Summer Series.
Mbeumo started in his preferred attacking midfield role, with Matheus Cunha in the furthest forward attacking position, and Amad utilised at wing-back to accommodate him. The 25-year-old only played the first half as he continues to work on his match sharpness, but it was still enough time for him to showcase exactly what he is about.
The former Brentford forward caught the eye with his creativity in the forward line and tested Jordan Pickford on a couple of occasions with sharp shots from inside the box. The tougher tests will come over the next fortnight, but it was an encouraging first outing with plenty of promise for the season ahead.
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No striker, no problem
Manchester United have made it a priority to add another proven goalscorer to their attack before transfer deadline day, though their performance against Everton suggested it might not be such a disaster if that doesn’t happen.
To utilise his two new attacking signings, Ruben Amorim utilised a fluid front three of Bryan Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, and Matheus Cunha that gave United both flexibility and firepower. The attacking trio linked up neatly and wreaked havoc against Everton’s defence, with an emphasis on quick interchanges and constant movement that was hard for them to track.
It gave United a lot more variety in their attacking play and meant they were not only unpredictable, but they were also less reliant on a centre-forward to spearhead their play and provide a constant outlet. There will still be some matches where a physical focal point will be required in attack, but with Mbeumo and Cunha they have already unlocked a potentially devastating new tactic.
Three most important players
Ruben Amorim is expected to use their upcoming friendly against Fiorentina as a dress rehearsal for the new Premier League season, but it seems like he has already revealed three of his most important players for the next campaign.
The Manchester United head coach wanted to give as much playing time to his first-team squad as possible, with plenty of changes to his starting line up throughout the US Tour. Yet for all the changes he made, three players started all three of their matches in the Premier League Summer Series.
It was no surprise to see Bruno Fernandes captain his side against West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton, though it was interesting to see Amad and Leny Yoro both also named in each of the line ups. There were doubts over the role Amad would play after Bryan Mbeumo was signed, but he is still as important as ever, while Yoro is ready for a pivotal second season in which he could become a key figure at the club.
Two transfer issues raised
The next few days will be dominated by Manchester United’s pursuit of a striker in the summer transfer window. The Everton match proved that it is not the only position they should look to strengthen in the final month.
United were excellent against a more expansive Bournemouth team last week, but struggled with the physicality and dark arts of an Everton side that was set up to frustrate. Manuel Ugarte regressed to the player who was seen so much last season, and Altay Bayindir proved why he can’t be relied upon as a back up goalkeeper in a season when Andre Onana will head to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Ruben Amorim still believes the addition of a proven goalscorer would have the most seismic effect on his United side, but the unsolved struggles in central midfield and goal give reason to worry with time running out.
The perfect response
Ruben Amorim has a welcome selection headache to solve next season as he looks to balance all of the attacking options in his first-team squad. Manchester United paid a combined upfront fee of £127 million to sign Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, yet it was Mason Mount who shone the brightest in his cameo from the bench.
The 26-year-old scored a brilliant goal to regain United’s lead in the second half and should have had an assist when he found Patrick Dorgu with an excellent through ball. United supporters won’t get carried away until they see such an impact in competitive matches, but when you consider the form he showed in the final months of last season, there is plenty of reason to be excited by the hype.
United’s attacking midfielders will hold the key to their success this season. And not just the ones they signed this summer.
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