Bryan Mbeumo was one of the marquee signings for United. His price tag was questioned often by pundits, but not his skills. Over the years, Mbeumo has become a major threatening player & usually teams use various tactics to stop him. This tells us that he is a special player & with only 26, he is in his prime years. No doubt United has struck gold by signing.
This Season so far, Mbeumo has started 12 games & has played a total of 956 minutes, averaging 80 minutes per game. He has scored 6 goals this season with an XG of 3.2, which is quite good considering his main attribute isn’t goal scoring. He averages 2.4 shots per game with 1.3 shots on target.
He has an Expected Assist(XA) of 2.54 & has 1.8 key passes per game, but his teammates have let him down as he has only 1 assist from those numbers.
Bryan Mbeumo Stats This Season
| Stats | P90 | Percentile |
| Non-Penalty Goals | 0.37 | 82 |
| npxG: Non-Penalty xG | 0.22 | 48 |
| Shots Total | 2.26 | 54 |
| Assists | 0.19 | 48 |
| xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals | 0.23 | 74 |
| npxG + xAG | 0.46 | 63 |
| Shot-Creating Actions | 3.62 | 51 |
| Passes Attempted | 35.44 | 48 |
| Pass Completion % | 67.4% | 11 |
| Progressive Passes | 3.51 | 50 |
| Progressive Carries | 3.35 | 49 |
| Successful Take-Ons | 1.33 | 39 |
| Touches (Att Pen) | 4.79 | 64 |
| Progressive Passes Rec | 9.25 | 73 |
| Tackles | 1.09 | 38 |
| Interceptions | 0.37 | 40 |
| Blocks | 0.80 | 35 |
| Clearances | 1.25 | 88 |
| Aerials Won | 0.80 | – |
Stats are taken from Fbref
Major Strengths
No one wants a high-profile signing to spend the majority of the season on the sidelines, especially when that player has the potential to make a significant impact on the team. Bryan Mbeumo has consistently demonstrated his value as one of the hardest-working and versatile forwards in the league throughout the years. Remarkably, he averages 80 minutes of play per game, a statistic that surpasses most forwards and highlights his stamina and reliability. During the previous season, Mbeumo was among the most frequently utilised forwards, starting in an impressive 38 matches, a record that puts him on par with Mohamed Salah, widely regarded as the best right winger of the season. His ability to consistently maintain a high level of performance, combined with his strong work ethic, makes him an invaluable asset to any squad aiming for success in a competitive league.
Off the ball movement
Mbeumo is one of the hardest-working wingers in Europe. So far this season, his numbers have dropped because United have allowed teams to bypass their front-line defence as they apply a mid-block when they are not in possession. Hence, Mbeumo is just used for his speed & call carrying to create a counterattack. Although his numbers were quite high in the previous season at Brentford, where he used to press from the word go & resulting in a lot of dispossession of the ball.
Amorim could use Mbeumo’s off-the-ball movement to great use; this is one of the parts of Mbeumo that is being underutilised at United. The Red Devils would love to see the full potential of the Cameronian star.
He could even be used as a wingback in Amorim’s 3421.
Creativity & Utility
He ranks among the best in shot-creating actions and xA in the leagues, but as I have already quoted, his expected assists were actually underdelivered by teammates.
Even in the previous season, his creative measures were great; he was sitting among the elite RW like Salah & Raphinha.
Extremely progressive ball carrier, one of the best assets of Mbeumo in my opinion.
In a system with space and runners, he could be lethal, hence Amorim keeps the left side overloaded & the right side is mainly governed by Mbeumo & Diallo only. Because Mbeumo is the best in free spaces, whereas in congested areas he fails to create or to move the ball upfront.
He can play RW, RWB, R10, even as a second striker. During his tenure at Brentford, he played with Toney & then Wissa in a front 2. He is at his best when drifting inward from the right rather than starting centrally.
Complementing his Forwards
Mbeumo’s biggest strength is that he easily molds with his fellow forwards & brings the best out of them. Previously at Brentford, first with Toney, then with Wissa, Mbeumo increased his fellow strikers’ numbers progressively. Now look at Mbeumo and Cunha as a pair. Cunha brings volume shooting, Mbeumo brings creativity and work rate.
A modern wide creator meets a high-volume shot monster. Also, Sesko a complete 9 helps Mbeumo & vice versa. Sesko’s presence in the box offers Mbeumo width on the right & an option to deliver a cross in the box.
Weakness
Although Bryan Mbuemo doesn’t have any major weaknesses but if we have to point out something specific, it is that he has a very weak right foot. He has scored 42 goals in 4 PL seasons from 287 shots. His xG total: 42.7. That’s a good level of finishing consistency. No over- or underperformance long-term, but 211 of his 287 career shots have come from his left foot. He doesn’t score headers and doesn’t shoot much with his right.
His main strength lies in driving inside and placing shots low and early before defenders can block them.
Conclusion
Mbeumo has undoubtedly elevated United’s attacking prowess; he is their best attacker. Not only does he score, but he also creates the majority of their chances. Most of United’s attacks have involved Mbeumo. He is a key signing and has certainly lived up to his price tag. If United aims to finish in the top four, Mbeumo must play a crucial role. His absence during the AFCON duties will be felt, and that will be a challenging period for the team.
