In preparation for the 2026-2027 Premier League season, manager Michael Carrick is making groundbreaking changes at Manchester United . By adjusting the system, the English strategist is not only upgrading the overall playing style but also thoroughly resolving the tactical bottleneck that plagued the Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo partnership last season.
Bryan Mbeumo and his role as a breakthrough center forward.
With star striker Benjamin Sesko absent from the summer tour, Michael Carrick made a bold decision to field Bryan Mbeumo as a central striker. The 27-year-old Cameroonian forward immediately proved his worth with an incredible goalscoring record for the Red Devils.
Mbeumo has scored in three of four pre-season friendlies. He opened the scoring in the 2-1 comeback victory against Atletico Madrid and also scored the crucial equalizer in the 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain . Statistics from Statman Dave show that Mbeumo has bagged five goals in his last six appearances for Manchester United.
Correcting tactical mistakes from the Amorim era.
Besides Mbeumo's individual performance, Carrick's biggest contribution lies in how he rekindled the connection between the striker and Amad Diallo. In the 2025-2026 season under Ruben Amorim, Amad underperformed and frequently received negative feedback from fans.
The main reason stems from Amorim's decision to move the Ivorian international to play as a right wing-back/defender in order to free up space in the right-sided number 10 position for Mbeumo. The excessive defensive workload on the wing exhausted Amad's stamina and significantly diminished his confidence and creativity.
The return of the versatile attacking duo.
Recognizing this shortcoming, Michael Carrick returned Amad to his preferred attacking role in the three-man forward line. When relieved of defensive duties on the wing, Amad had complete freedom to move into the center and combine directly with Mbeumo.
His performance in the 1-1 draw against PSG is the clearest evidence. Data from Statman Dave shows Amad achieved a passing accuracy rate of 94% with 40 touches. He played fluidly, constantly making quick one-two passes with Mbeumo, creating many options to approach the opponent's goal.
Entering the 2026-2027 Premier League campaign, manager Carrick plans to flexibly rotate Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko in the number 9 position. The chemistry between Amad and Mbeumo promises to be a powerful tactical weapon, helping Manchester United build an attacking, entertaining, and explosive style of play.