Following a shaky beginning to the campaign, Amorim was rumored to be on his way out of Old Trafford, but the team appears to have regained momentum. ..Continue Reading
They’ve now secured three wins in a row, highlighted by a 2-1 triumph over rivals Liverpool, and are beginning to benefit from their summer acquisitions.
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha both scored in their recent match against Brighton and will look to maintain that form against Forest.
However, Amorim will soon have to cope without Mbeumo, who joined from Brentford during the summer for an initial £65million fee.
Mbeumo has settled in well under Amorim and already boasts four league goals. Yet just as he’s beginning to build chemistry with his teammates, the club faces the prospect of losing him for a significant stretch.
United are preparing to be without Mbeumo for at least two fixtures in late December as he departs for the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon.
Mbeumo’s country play three group stage games from December 24 to December 31. This likely rules him out of matches against Newcastle and Wolves.
Should Cameroon advance, his absence could extend further. The Round of 16 is scheduled between January 3 and 6.
The quarter-finals follow on January 9 and 10, with the semi-finals on January 14 and the final on January 18. A third-place playoff is also set for January 17.
During this period, United are slated to face Leeds United, Burnley, and a derby clash with Manchester City, currently penciled in for January 17 but subject to change.
They also have an FA Cup third-round fixture on the weekend starting January 10. Mbeumo could miss all of these if Cameroon reaches the final.
Another recent addition still finding his rhythm in Manchester is Benjamin Sesko. The 22-year-old forward arrived from RB Leipzig for £74m and has netted just twice so far. In light of his slow start, former United striker Dimitar Berbatov offered some guidance.
“Be confident in yourself,” Berbatov said as he aimed a message at Sesko whilst speaking on the Rio Ferdinand presents YouTube channel. “Be arrogant in a way that you demand the ball from your team-mates when you make the run.
“When you make a good run, if the ball doesn’t come for you, say it or express it in a way that your team-mates will understand. That, ‘I am here. I’m making the run for you. Respect my run. Not every time but try to see me and believe in what I can do with that run.’
“Sometimes be angry. Scream, swear at him, whatever. [It’s] not personal. Half-time, before and after the game, speak. Sometimes I think the players need to be more aggressive and emotional, in a way like, ‘Pass me the damn ball, man!'”
Amorim made it clear early on that Marcus Rashford wasn’t part of his vision at United, and after a January move to Aston Villa, the forward secured another loan switch to Barcelona this summer.
In La Liga, Rashford has been getting regular starts and delivering strong performances. While his return to Old Trafford remains uncertain, United icon Bryan Robson believes a mindset shift would be necessary.
“Marcus is a great talent and everything, but I do think his attitude’s got to change if he does come back to United,” Robson told Grosvenor Casinos. “Barcelona is different because we always know that Barcelona and Real Madrid are going to be dominant in their league.
“He will improve and he will start enjoying his football a little bit better if he were to come back to United. I can’t believe that people say that he’s enjoying the two clubs that he left us for and that you can’t enjoy your football at Man United. That seems crazy to me.”
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