Man Utd won their third straight game against Brighton. (Photo by Karl Lesseen/Getty Images)
Man United had a difficult start to the season but have improved in recent weeks with three consecutive wins in the Premier League.
The latest game took place on Saturday, in which Brighton lost 4-2, and there were a number of players who stood out for Man United, but perhaps none more so than their two big-money summer signings.
Wayne Rooney, Brian Mbeumo and Mateus Cunha delighted
Brian Mbeumo scored twice against Brighton and, according to BBC Sport (via TBR Football), Wayne Rooney expressed his delight at the impact the Cameroon international has had at Old Trafford.
“Even at Manchester United, he had some really good chances in the game, but he just didn’t always take them. But his energy, his work rate, his drive… I think that’s what you need to be a Manchester United player. And, yes, I said he was a bit unsure, but I think what he’s showing is that he belongs at Man United.”
“Cunha has obviously come in. It’s great to see him score goals, but Mbeumo has been consistent in his performances. That’s the important thing. If you’re always in the right position and taking chances, you can score. Last season he scored 20 goals for Brentford, so what? And now he’s off to another good start.”
“When you’re a forward, it’s fun to score goals and that feeling lasts forever. So you see players scoring goals in a row and scoring eight, 10, 11 goals on the bounce, and then sometimes they don’t score a single goal for a few games. His confidence is very high at the moment and hopefully that continues because he was definitely the best signing for Man United this season.”
Rooney also spoke passionately about Matheus Cunha, who scored his first goal for Man United in the win over Brighton.
“You could see how happy everyone was for him – including the manager – because that’s at the back of their minds. He’s obviously missed a couple of games with an injury, but you could see the joy he had when he scored. I’ve been there before where the players really need that goal because they’re going through a tough period, so I hope it motivates the players.”
“Hopefully he can start to show what we saw with the Wolves last year. I think he can step up from here, get better and start grabbing games by the scruff of the neck because that’s what he’s capable of. He’s unpredictable at times and that’s what makes him such a threat.”
Man United currently sit sixth in the Premier League and will be hoping to improve further when they travel to Nottingham Forest at the weekend.