Mbeumo offers Carrick solace as Man Utd winless run goes on

In a season that is forcing Manchester United fans to dig deep for reasons to be positive, Bryan Mbeumo scored again at Elland Road.

That is four goals in seven Premier League games for the Cameroon forward.

Apart from Bruno Fernandes, who scored a hat-trick against Ipswich in August, no-one else in Michael Carrick's squad has scored more than one.

But it's meagre fare. It is true to say Manchester United did reasonably well in their 1-1 draw at Leeds United, just as they did at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday after conceding inside the first minute.

Carrick told BBC Radio Five Live afterwards he "had the headphones on" this week so he hasn't heard the external noise created by Lisandro Martinez's rant.

However, he knows his side have to win matches at some point.

That is six without a victory now, the worst run since 2018-19, when form nosedived after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was confirmed as permanent manager.

"Because they haven't lost at Leeds, we're thinking United have done all right," said former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports.

"But in some ways that is a negative. We are dropping the standards. We shouldn't really be talking about Manchester United like that."

After the corresponding fixture last season, Ruben Amorim gave the explosive press conference that triggered his dismissal within 24 hours.

This time, it was Lisandro Martinez who lit the touchpaper before the game, criticising sporting director Jason Wilcox and the United hierarchy for failing, in his view, to recruit effectively during the summer.

Wilcox was in the stands at Elland Road, while Martinez started the game following his apology for the timing and forum of his attack rather than the words themselves.

To highlight the general view that United failed Carrick by not bringing in competition for Luke Shaw at left-back, Diogo Dalot became the fifth different player to start in that position this season.

It remains to be seen if Shaw will be fit enough for Wednesday's Champions League trip to Serie A outfit Como, but the repeated changes cannot be helping Carrick.

Martinez went off at half-time with a thigh injury, and such is the delicate nature of Matthijs de Ligt's fitness after almost 11 months out with a back complaint, Carrick preferred to bring on full-back Noussair Mazraoui rather than the Netherlands international.

Carrick's side ended the game 13th in the Premier League table, with the possibility they might drop further before the match round is complete.

Unlike Amorim, Carrick found it easy to come up with a positive spin on the present situation.

"It felt like a bit of a fresh start today, to be honest, with where we're at - accepting it and doing something about it," Carrick said.

"I'm not accepting it as everything's great by any stretch. I'm realistic with that.

"But sometimes you do struggle. Sometimes there's a bit where you have to find a way through.

"There has been a cycle at times here over a period of time when it can go in different directions. We've got to be stable enough to keep doing the right things. We're more than capable of winning football matches.

"I understand the situation doesn't look too good if you look at it from a certain way, but I've got no doubts that we can go on a good run."