After the 15th-place finish in the Premier League during 2024/25, all eyes were on Ruben Amorim this campaign to try and resurrect his career as Manchester United boss.
The 40-year-old was certainly on borrowed time before a ball was kicked, but there’s no doubt the pressure has been eased, given the recent results in England’s top-flight.
He’s led his side to a five-game unbeaten run in the last couple of weeks, with such a period even seeing the Red Devils claim three wins in a row for the first time in his tenure.
As a result, Amorim claimed the division’s Manager of the Month award for October, also achieving such a feat for the first time since taking the reins a little over 12 months ago.
However, he wasn’t the only United representative to receive recognition for their efforts, as one player endured a month to remember at Old Trafford under his guidance.
Why Bryan Mbeumo won the October Player of the Month award
Like Amorim, Bryan Mbeumo was a player with expectations placed upon him by the United faithful, after the hierarchy splashed a reported £71m on his signature in the summer window.
The Cameroonian scored a staggering 20 league goals at Brentford last season, with the supporters placing faith in the forward to transform the club’s fortunes in the final third.
However, upon his move to Manchester, it was evident he would be asked to operate in a slightly different position compared to his right-wing role in West London during 2024/25.
Amorim’s system operates with two narrow number tens behind the striker, with the big-money addition being brought into the club to feature in such a position rather than out wide.
However, it hasn’t seemed to have hindered his progress, as he scored his first league goal against Burnley back in August, before springing into life at Old Trafford back in the month of October.
The 26-year-old featured in three games during the aforementioned month, subsequently registering a goal or assist in every one of his appearances for Amorim’s side – leading to his Player of the Month award.
His first contribution came at the start of the winning run, with his assist for Mason Mount helping secure the Red Devils a 2-0 victory over newly-promoted Sunderland.
Mbeumo’s biggest moment in October undoubtedly came against Liverpool at Anfield, with the forward slotting home just minutes into the clash and securing the club their first win at Anfield in nearly a decade.
His final outing came against Brighton & Hove Albion on home soil, with the Cameroonian netting twice and securing a phenomenal 4-2 triumph over the Seagulls.
The United star who’s been a better signing than Mbeumo
Whilst it’s still early days in his career at United, Mbeumo has already made an immediate impact and is starting to showcase why the hierarchy splashed such a huge fee on his signature.
He’s already found the back of the net on five occasions, with his latest effort against Tottenham Hotspur cementing his place as the club’s top scorer in 2025/26.
Other figures, such as 1.3 shots on target per 90 and a 2.5 assist xG, rank him top within the Red Devils squad, further highlighting his incredible start to life in Manchester.
Mbeumo wasn’t alone in moving to Old Trafford during the off-season, with Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko also joining him in the final third to transform the club’s fortunes in front of goal.
Senne Lammens was the final addition made by the United hierarchy in the summer window, with the Belgian coming in to provide competition in the goalkeeping department.
Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir both struggled to nail down the starting position last campaign, with the former of the duo registering eight errors that led to goals last season alone.
The Cameroonian was subsequently shipped out on loan to Turkish outfit Trabzonspor, leaving new addition Lammens to stake his claim for the number one shirt under Amorim.
Whilst he was an unused substitute in each of his first three matches for the Red Devils, the 23-year-old was handed his maiden start against Sunderland at the start of October.
Since then, the player and supporters haven’t looked back, with Lammens providing the quality which the first-team have massively lacked between the sticks in recent seasons.
He’s already claimed two Man of the Match awards in his first five appearances, with the club yet to taste defeat when the Belgian is named in the starting eleven.
His underlying stats further prove his importance to Amorim’s men, as he’s undoubtedly saved the side in numerous key matches since his arrival at Old Trafford.
Games played
5
Minutes played
450
Saves made
14
Goals prevented
0.3
Goals conceded
7
Clean sheets
1
High claims
5
Passes completed
75
The goalkeeper is currently averaging 2.8 saves per 90, whilst he also has a positive goal prevented record, with most of his efforts coming in the superb triumph over local rivals Liverpool last month.
Lammens, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has also made 1.2 high claims per 90, subsequently offering the needed aerial presence in the 18-yard box – something which Onana massively struggled with last season.
One of his most important assets is his ball-playing ability, which has seen him register 9.1 long balls per 90 – which ranks him in the top 5% of all ‘keepers in the division.
There’s little denying that Mbeumo has transformed the club’s frontline in recent weeks, with his transfer one that has proved to be a success in the early stages.
However, the goalkeeping situation was the glaring problem for Amorim last season, with Lammens now handing the club an incredible option to rely upon for at least the next decade and beyond.
Should he carry on such a path, there’s no reason why the Belgian can’t play a vital role in any success endured during Amorim’s tenure at the Theatre of Dreams.
Their own Anderson: Man Utd to make £53m bid to sign "world-class" CM
Manchester United are set to make a January move for another top-level central midfielder.
ByEthan Lamb