Man Utd have slumped to 10th in the Premier League, but they’re only a couple of points off Crystal Palace in fifth position.
Sergio Aguero has commented on Bryan Mbeumo’s influence at Man Utd.(Image: Photo by Marc Piasecki/Getty Images)
Sergio Aguero has warned Manchester United that they can’t rely on Bryan Mbeumo alone in the pursuit for UEFA Champions League qualification. The 26-year-old forward has rescued Ruben Amorim’s side on numerous occasions already this season, but he couldn’t work his magic against Everton.
United squandered the opportunity to climb into the top five of the Premier League table on Monday night, losing 1-0 to the Toffees at Old Trafford. Despite having a one-man advantage for much of the contest, after Idrissa Gueye was sent-off, the Reds failed to find an equaliser.
Mbeumo, who United signed from Brentford for £71million this summer, had previously dug Amorim’s side out of close encounters, netting decisive goals against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, arch rivals Liverpool and Burnley. But the Cameroon international couldn’t find a way past Jordan Pickford.
The Reds slumped to 10th position in the Premier League, while they are hanging on to a place in the top half of the table by a thread. During an interview with Stake, Aguero warned United that the race for European football will be a ‘tough battle’.
The Manchester City icon said: “We’ll see how the season goes. Only 11 matches have been played, and there’s a long way to go. For that to happen, they need a lot of consistency; if they achieve it, it could happen.
“But it will be a tough battle, because many teams aspire to the top four. It’s what I always say; one player alone can’t do everything. Bryan Mbuemo arrived this season and is helping the team get out of a poor start.”
Bryan Mbeumo celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Tottenham.(Image: Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images)
United will hope to return to winning ways when they meet Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Amorim insisted his players have no excuse not to perform against the Eagles.
“In our club it’s the same thing because last year we had to win every game all the time and we took a lot of things, a lot of criticism because we were not winning,” said the Portuguese boss. “So, in our club, there is no excuses.
“About Europe, I already talked about Europe, and I said the same thing last year when we were in Europe and I say the same thing this year, the advantage and the disadvantage of not being in Europe.
Ruben Amorim will hope to see an improved performance from his Manchester United side. (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
“So, there is no excuses. Last year or this year, we have always to win games.”
On whether he’s disappointed with United’s progress, Amorim said: “I think if I look at the games, we should have more points. Because we had control some games, we had an advantage in some games, and we lost that control.
“So, if I look at our games, we should have more points, and that is really disappointing and frustrating, especially the last game [against Everton].”
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