manutdnews.com

Manchester United could not extend their three-match winning run after a 2-2 Premier League draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The Red Devils went into the game with form and momentum on their side.

Casemiro opened the scoring with a towering header from a corner in the opening half, and United deserved their 1-0 lead at the break.

However, things went pear-shaped shortly after the interval. A couple of defensive mishaps allowed Forest to score twice in just 102 seconds.

A stunning long-range strike from Amad Diallo put United level in the 81st minute, but they could not find a late winner at City Ground.

Amad almost scored in the closing minutes, but Forest centre-back Murillo came up with a splendid goal-line clearance for Sean Dyche’s side.

The Ivorian was undoubtedly the man of the match for his crucial goal. He made amends for his defensive mishaps earlier in the encounter.

However, there were several underperformers. We were particularly disappointed with Diogo Dalot, who was caught asleep for both goals.

The Portuguese has been deployed as a left wing-back by manager Ruben Amorim in recent weeks, but his positioning was poor yesterday.

Dalot won just three out of eight duels contested and lost possession on 12 occasions.

The £25 million-rated star did make four recoveries and three clearances, but much of the hard work was outdone after Forest’s quick double after the half-time break.

Dalot, who received a 4/10 rating from Goal, was eventually replaced by Patrick Dorgu in the 68th minute. In our view, he must be dropped from the XI next weekend.

With Amad’s redemption at right wing-back, he should keep his starting role going forward.

Dalot is not a natural on the opposite end. Dorgu has the tendency to lose possession, but he has a better work rate and positional sense.

The Dane should be reinstated at left wing-back when the Red Devils take on Tottenham Hotspur on the road before the international break.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Bryan Mbeumo is certainly the biggest piece of transfer business done by Manchester United this summer, although there’s not much to choose from.

After a tedious process that involved multiple rejected bids, the Red Devils finally landed their man in a whopping £71 million deal.

United will pay an initial £65m plus an additional £6m in bonuses.

Mbeumo is a statement signing for United, coming off their worst season in more than half a century, but getting the deal over the line was the furthest thing from simple.

Negotiations dragged on for 44 days. There were twists, tension, rumours, and attempted hijacks, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United entering the fray later on.

There were even whispers that Arsenal were looking to join the party, but Mbeumo had his priorities straight since the transfer saga began.

From the moment United made their first offer, the Cameroon international had his heart set on a move to Old Trafford.

The back-and-forth between Brentford and United tested patience on all sides, with reports claiming that the Bees were trying to steer Mbeumo towards signing for Spurs or Newcastle instead.

However, he remained focused, calm, confident, and professional throughout the process.

“No [I never feared it would not happen],” he told The National. “I always trust the people around me, and I was convinced that it was going to happen.”

While on holiday, Mbeumo tried to switch off, knowing that any deal would take some time. His future was still up in the air when he returned for pre-season at Brentford, but he never doubted the outcome.

“The transfer windows can be long, they can be short. So you have to be patient, and just try to keep thinking positively about things,” he added.

“I just wanted to rest mentally and physically. If it was going to happen, it was going to happen.”

Mbeumo was always clear that he wanted to join United, but he still kept an open mind.

He spoke with Tottenham boss Thomas Frank, who was keen to reunite with him in North London after bringing him to England and turning him into a goalscoring machine.

He also spoke to Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe. Both clubs could offer him Champions League football, but he only wanted United.

“Of course, I spoke to some other managers because I wanted to hear their projects, but the Manchester United one was very good for me,” he said.

“I think I’m someone who likes a challenge. There is a very good project in Manchester and I wanted to be part of it. Manchester is a big club. I think it’s a great opportunity.”

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho could move to Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur this summer amid his preference to play Champions League football with a Premier League club.

The Argentina international has fallen out of favour under manager Ruben Amorim and has been told to find a new club during the ongoing transfer window. He won’t be part of the US pre-season tour.

ESPN now report that Aston Villa manager Unai Emery considers Garnacho as a useful player to add to his squad, but the 21-year-old has the desire to play Champions League football next campaign.

Furthermore, he is also keen on staying in the Premier League. Chelsea have been keeping tabs on him, but may need to offload a couple of players first – Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.

In our view, the Blues could go head-to-head with Spurs to sign the United graduate this summer.

Chelsea & Spurs could compete for Garnacho’s services

The Blues were first linked with Garnacho at the start of the year. His representative was spotted at Stamford Bridge during a Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Nothing materialised in the end due to United’s high valuation. The Red Devils were seeking at least £70 million for the attacker, but they have now lowered the price tag to just £40m, according to ESPN.

With Chelsea back in the Champions League, Garnacho should be tempted to join them. The prospect of playing in the elite European club competition while staying in London could be his aim.

Spurs are also monitoring the highly-rated winger, as per The Telegraph. The north London giants reportedly made a shock enquiry for Garnacho towards the transfer deadline last winter.

The club were not a lucrative destination for him at the time, but their Europa League final triumph against the Red Devils has guaranteed their spot in next season’s Champions League campaign.

This could turn the tables in their favour if they are prepared to compete with the Blues. Spurs manager Thomas Frank could lure Garnacho with the assurance of a regular starting role on the left wing.

Garnacho could get the nod ahead of Mathys Tel and Richarlison. Captain Heung-min Son is no longer in his prime, and there is a possibility that he could head for the exit door in the coming weeks.

At Chelsea, he may not be guaranteed a starting position with competition from Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto among others. Gittens was only recently signed from Borussia Dortmund.