‘I don’t want’ - Keith Andrews shares his thoughts on Bryan Mbeumo Brentford reception following £71m Man Utd transfer
Bryan Mbeumo is expected to start against former club Brentford this weekend
Manchester United travel to Brentford this weekend in an emotional game for Bryan Mbeumo, who returns to the Gtech Community Stadium for the first time since his £71m transfer over the summer.
The Cameroon international joined Brentford as something of an unknown quantity from Troyes in August 2019 in a deal which cost the club just £5.8m. He left six years later as arguably the best footballer in the club’s history, scoring 70 times in 242 appearances for the football club while also chipping in creatively with 51 assists.
The 26-year-old helped the Bees reach the promised land of the Premier League for the first time in 74 years in 2021 and subsequently played a vital goal in keeping them there after scoring 42 times in the competition, including 20 times last season.
Keith Andrews heaps praise on Bryan Mbeumo
Keith Andrews may not have directly managed Bryan Mbeumo at Brentford but he’s very familiar with him having worked as the club’s set-piece coach before being promoted into the managerial hotseat. He was as disappointed as any supporter to see the footballer leave but fully expects the Cameroonian to get a great reception based on his performances for them on the pitch.
He said ahead of the Manchester United clash: “Bryan epitomises everything good about this football club. Six years at the club, couple in the championship, arrived as a 19-year-old. He was from France, spoke very little English, developed as a young man, developed as a player.
“He was given time, patience, support, and I think the way it went last year was the culmination of that six-year work, that six-year journey where so many people in that building played a part in his in his development. I know for a fact he really appreciates that. He appreciates the fans. I think it just epitomises what what this club is about.”
Keith Andrews hints at plan to stop Bryan Mbeumo
Keith Andrews, more than most, knows about the qualities Bryan Mbeumo brings but says he wants to make it an afternoon he doesn’t enjoy. He explained: “Bryan rightly should get a really good reception. Having said that, I don’t want us to give him a nice reception on the pitch. We know all about him, all his qualities We’re very aware of what a good player is and we’ll help hopefully try to nullify that by making an afternoon that he doesn’t enjoy.”
Mbeumo has found the net twice in six matches across all competitions for Manchester United. He found the net in a 2-2 draw with Grimsby Town before missing a key second penalty in a long-drawn out penalty shoot-out. Mbeumo also found the net against Burnley in a 3-2 win, helping his team to a first league victory of the season.
He’s now aiming to help United win at the Gtech Community Stadium for the first time since January 2022. Mbeumo started in that particular fixture but failed to score in a 3-1 loss. He did, however, find the net against United in a 4-0 victory the following season before assisting against them in a 4-3 home win at the end of last term.
Ruben Amorim will be glad to have Mbeumo in his side this time around. He said: “It’s really important everything he brings. He is always there to help us, he runs a lot, he presses a lot. He is a different threat to last season. He takes set pieces. So I am really happy with him.
“That is also the good thing, to have time to get to know the player. It was important to bring players from our league so you can understand what they bring. But in the end, you never know, so we were lucky with Bryan.”