Manchester United are well and truly back. Their 3-1 victory over Aston Villa has put them in an excellent position in their quest for Champions League football.
They currently sit safely ensconced in 3rd place; three points clear of Villa (and with a vastly superior goal-difference). Moreover, fellow Champions League chasers Liverpool and Chelsea are experiencing their own existential crises of late. In celebration of a resurgent Red Devils, I have decided to do my personal ranking of their five players of the season (thus far).
Benjamin Sesko
As with Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal, it took some time for Slovenian Benjamin Sesko to get going. He looked somewhat lost in an Amorim side that vary rarely put crosses into the box. But he has grown into his role as United No.9 as the season has progressed, becoming increasingly influential since Michael Carrick’s appointment. He has scored nine Premier League goals this campaign, with many of those goals contributing directly to points gained. He has also shown admirable humility in the face of tactical changes, willing to drop to the bench and come on as a super-sub (where he has flourished). He looks primed for a massive 2026/2027 season.
Bryan Mbeumo
With nine goals and three assists in this year’s Premier League, Bryan Mbeumo has utterly transformed United’s attacking fortunes (he also missed out on several key games due to AFCON). His speed- both in body and of thought- has helped turn Old Trafford into a joyous place again. To be fair, he hasn’t looked quite as influential over the past month or so. But you can’t underestimate his immediate impact at the beginning of the season. Even under Ruben Amorim, Mbeumo offered hope of a vibrant future for a club weaned on displays of attacking virtuosity.
Casemiro
Casemiro gave another gargantuan midfield performance against Villa, with Old Trafford singing ‘one more year’ in unison after he scored. Casemiro has cut a dejected figure in recent seasons, ambling around like a player doing community service. But he has produced his best football in United red this season, scoring seven goals and picking up two assists in an all-action campaign (he has clearly benefitted from the reintroduction of Kobbie Mainoo). He has been a box-to-box threat as well as a defensive colossus, harkening back to his vintage years in a Real Madrid shirt.
Senne Lammens
Senne Lammens has undoubtedly been United’s most transformational signing in some time. Say what you will about van Gaal and Amorim, neither one of them could have legislated for Andre Onana’s borderline parodic list of errors (there are some hilarious YouTube compilations of United fans losing their minds over Onana). 23-year-old Lammens is arguably the best thing that Ruben Amorim did for the club during his tenure, acquiring him from Antwerp before giving him his first Premier League start on October 4th. Lammens has brought a calm beyond his years, providing a stark contrast to the kamikaze stylings of Onana. He doesn’t possess the shot-stopping heroics of De Gea or the take-no-prisoners command of Peter Schemichal. He offers a calming, dignified presence ala Edwin van der Sar. You could even call it boring. And I think most United fans are delighted to have a boring goalkeeper in their ranks again.
Bruno Fernandes
You start to run out of superlatives for play-making maestro Bruno Fernandes. His time at United has divided opinion, with lovers pointing towards his creative output while haters assassinate his character (look at how he has downed tools in some huge matches). But there can be no denying his massive impact on the club this year. In fact, he’s currently my pick for Premier League Player of the Year. He was once again at his instrumental best against Aston Villa, creating two more goals to hit 16 assists for the season. In the process, Fernandes broke David Beckham’s longstanding record for most assists by a United player in a Premier League campaign.
