Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford and manager Michael Carrick - copyright TEAMtalk
Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford and manager Michael Carrick
Just as Marcus Rashford was starting to gel for Manchester United, manager Michael Carrick’s revelation about Bryan Mbeumo leaves the England international winger with a problem.
Rashford wanted to continue at Barcelona after the Man Utd forward’s loan spell at the Spanish champions last season.
However, Barcelona decided against making Rashford’s loan deal permanent, and the winger is now part of Carrick’s Man Utd squad.
Rashford has made two starts and one substitute appearance in the Premier League for Man Utd so far this season.
Against Ipswich Town and Everton, Rashford started in his favoured left wing.
Mbeumo started on the right wing in those games, as well as against Hull City.
The 27-year-old Cameroon international, who cost Man Utd £71million when they signed him from Brentford in the summer of 2025, is a versatile forward who can play as a striker, left winger or right winger.
On Wednesday, during the pre-match press conference ahead of Man Utd’s Champions League game against Sabah at Old Trafford, Man Utd manager Carrick said that Mbeumo wants to play on the left wing.
When Mbeumo was asked where he thinks he is at his most dangerous, Carrick said with a laugh, as quoted on Man Utd’s official website: “He prefers playing on the left, he told me!”
Mbeumo said: “No, obviously I’ve been used to playing a few positions in the attack.
“Back even in my first season as a professional, back in the days of Troyes, I was playing right, left, central.
“So obviously I’ve got some preferences, like I would say key positions on the field, but I can have them either when I play centrally or wide, so it doesn’t really matter.
“As long as I can play and perform for the team, I’m happy.”
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Bryan Mbeumo a problem for Marcus Rashford
Mbeumo was being diplomatic, but Carrick’s comments mean that Rashford could face major competition from his Man Utd teammate for a place in the starting line-up.
Matheus Cunha has been playing as a centre-forward this season, but it is only a matter of time before Benjamin Sesko starts as the number nine.
In Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 formation, Bruno Fernandes will be the number 10, which leaves Rashford, Mbeumo and Cunha as the top options for the wing.
Cunha and Mbeumo were very good for Man Utd last season and have enough credit in the bank to be picked ahead of Rashford.
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