Carrick can end Mbeumo experiment by unleashing Nani 2.0 in new Man Utd role

Do you credit Manchester United for showing the spirit to fight back at the London Stadium, or should the Red Devils’ overall performance be of greater concern?

The reality is that both things can be true, with Michael Carrick’s men showing real resilience to rescue a point at the death, albeit while having endured by far their worst performance under the new head coach.

Indeed, while suffocated somewhat by Nuno Espirito Santo’s resurgent West Ham United side, the visitors were lifeless for much of the evening in an attacking sense, with it taking until the dying embers to truly threaten, as Joshua Zirkzee first went close before Benjamin Sesko flicked home.

The introduction of both of those towering forwards off the bench certainly brought a different dimension to the away side’s forward line, with Carrick’s fluid set-up having finally come up short, after prior success against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.

A particular problem lay in Bryan Mbeumo’s performance on the left flank, with Carrick needing to end that short-term experiment.

Why Bryan Mbeumo has to start on the right wing

For many of the so-called bigger games this season, both Ruben Amorim and Carrick have opted for a more dynamic, interchangeable attacking unit, without a recognised, orthodox striker.

That approach certainly has worked this season, with Mbeumo netting away at Anfield and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having also done so as the starting centre-forward against Arsenal and Manchester City under Carrick.

That said, even in the recent win over Spurs, United weren’t exactly a major threat, despite Mbeumo getting on the scoresheet again, with it taking until the closing stages for Bruno Fernandes to prod home the clincher, following Sesko’s introduction.

The towering Slovenian – the scorer off the bench against both Fulham and the Hammers – provides a real physical focal point at 6 foot 5, something that was distinctly lacking last time out.

With a pragmatic Everton side the next opponent on the horizon, the 22-year-old deserves a starting berth, ahead of Matheus Cunha through the middle. Equally, Mbeumo – who started on the left in west London – should return to the right flank.

It was in that role that the Cameroonian was at his deadly best last season, scoring 20 Premier League goals for Brentford, having sparked into life on that side last week, registering the assist for Sesko and cutting in for an attempt on goal late on.

Cunha could well slot in on the left instead, although having been muted against the Irons, Carrick might have a different plan in mind.

Man Utd’s new Nani could be unleashed in new role

With Patrick Dorgu sidelined, the left flank is a real issue for United right now, with one potential solution being the inclusion of young Shea Lacey on that side.

If Carrick is determined to fit more of his senior forwards into the side, however, it could well be an opportunity for Amad to stake his claim on the left, with Mbeumo off the right and Sesko through the middle.

The diminutive Ivorian has typically been deployed as a right winger, a right wing-back or a number ten during his stint in United’s first-team, although it would be something of a new role moving over to a left midfield or left wing berth.

Of course, much of the 23-year-old’s game relies on cutting inside onto his favoured left foot, so often seen jinking his way into the penalty area from that right flank.

That said, United saw the benefits of using Dorgu as something of a traditional left-footed left-winger in Carrick’s first two games at the helm, ensuring Amad could be well suited to that new role.

With Luke Shaw hardly the marauding left-back that he once was, the Red Devils need real pace down that flank, something which Amad can provide in abundance.

Equally too, being shackled to just one flank is limiting, with some of United’s more notable wingers of recent times having flitted between either wing, be it Cristiano Ronaldo or Nani.

Amad, it must be said, falls into the Nani category at present, a somewhat maverick and electrifying talent who still has the ability to frustrate at times, with his end product not quite where it should be.

The ex-Atalanta only has two goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, having ended 2024/25 on double figures for both goals and assists across all competitions.

He gets supporters off their seats with his flair and speed, but there is that sense that he needs to kick on even more, something that Nani never truly managed to do.

There were the highs of his 2010/11 and 2012/13 campaigns, which yielded 26 and 18 Premier League goal involvements, respectively, although the Portuguese was never really the main man, subsequently shipped off on the cheap by Louis van Gaal.

Amad boasts a similar cult hero vibe, yet there’s certainly further room for growth. Perhaps a stint off the left, in place of Mbeumo, might provide another string to his undoubtedly impressive bow.