Michael Carrick has Man United’s sharpest weapon stranded in the wrong place

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Bryan Mbeumo is not having the start to the 2026–27 league campaign that many had hoped for.

In pre-season, he grabbed three goals and an assist in six games, giving fans a glimpse of the Brentford-era Mbeumo they know: a direct, dangerous attacking outlet and a nightmare in front of goal.

Mbeumo is struggling

However, from his seven appearances this season, he has not really been the decisive figure that many expected him to be.

The best way to describe him these days is that he will pop up now and then with an opportunity, but for the majority of the game, he is a complete non-factor.

While his two goals and an assist may have hidden his struggles, his lack of goal involvement over the last three games has opened many fans’ eyes to how much less impactful he is. This begs the question: what is the issue with the United number 19?

If there is one thing certain about Mbeumo, it is that he is a genuine goal threat.

Yet, instead of using him in a role that keeps him close to goal, as was the case at Brentford and as Ruben Amorim had planned, Carrick is deploying him as a traditional touchline winger.

As a result, Mbeumo now spends most of the game hugging the sideline, receiving the ball wide and posing little danger with it, given that he is not a traditional flashy, tricky one-on-one winger.

The further Mbeumo is moved from goal, the further he is moved from his biggest strength: scoring goals. This is why he struggled in the second half of last season, and why he is struggling now.

Tweak Mbeumo’s role

Carrick needs to get him closer to the box.

Have him play like an inverted winger. Let him drift inside. Attack the half-spaces. Run beyond defenders. Get into the dangerous areas where he can actually hurt teams.

With the right-back overlapping and holding the width, the right wing should still function.

Crucially, United did not sign Mbeumo to cross balls into the box; they signed him for his sharpness in front of goal.

Carrick needs to unlock the Mbeumo we know is there, and playing him as an inverted winger or a number nine would achieve that easily.