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NEW
AFCON 2025
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Michael Carrick has sent Arsenal fans into panic mode with his assessment of Bryan Mbeumo ahead of their crucial encounter against Man United in the Premier League.
Premier League giants Manchester United head to the Emirates this Sunday with a new-found swagger under new boss Michael Carrick.
After dismantling Manchester City 2-0 in his debut, Carrick has dropped a tactical hint about Bryan Mbeumo that might give Mikel Arteta a sleepless night.
The "Free Role" masterstroke
Mbeumo, fresh from a starring role with Cameroon at AFCON 2025, was one of the heroes of the Manchester Derby, scoring a clinical breakaway goal.
But it wasn’t just the finish that impressed Carrick, it was where the forward was popping up.
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Speaking ahead of the Arsenal clash, Carrick explained why Mbeumo is his secret weapon for unlocking elite defences:
"I think, Bryan, I gave him a bit of a free role in many ways in a partnership with Bruno [Fernandes] last week, to drift and to fill different spaces... it’s just different styles. Certain games will have different styles, so it’s great to have that flexibility, for sure."
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For Arsenal fans, this ‘free role’ is the last thing they want to hear. The Gunners' defence thrives on structure, but Mbeumo’s ability to drift between the lines makes him nearly impossible to man-mark.
Carrick highlighted that while Benjamin Sesko is great at "playing on the last line" and Joshua Zirkzee likes to "play in the hole," Mbeumo offers a hybrid threat.
He has the pace to burn William Saliba on the break but the intelligence to link up with Bruno Fernandes in midfield.
Fresh Legs and "Good Options"
Carrick’s comments also suggest he isn’t afraid to rotate his AFCON star. While Mbeumo was subbed off in the 71st minute against City to manage his workload, his replacement, Matheus Cunha, came on to provide the assist for the second goal.
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"Matheus came on through the middle and made a big difference for us in terms of carrying the game into the later stages and creating the second goal... thankfully, it paid off for us."
What does this mean for Sunday?
Carrick has managed to do something in one week that United have struggled with all season: creating unpredictability.
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By giving Mbeumo the license to fill different spaces, he is forcing Arsenal to choose between sitting deep to respect his pace or pushing up and risking Mbeumo finding those pockets alongside Bruno.
If Mbeumo brings his Manchester derby form to North London in this free role, or whatever Carrick has planned for the Gunners, then, Arsenal’s title charge could be in serious jeopardy.