Bryan Mbeumo was the clearest positive as Manchester United drew 1-1 with Leeds before winning the shootout 5-4 at Croke Park. His left-sided burst created Joshua Zirkzee's opener in the 16th minute, and he looked sharper than anyone else in a scrappy pre-season game. United still had the familiar messiness of summer football, with Bruno Fernandes missing from 12 yards and Tyler Fletcher's error handing Leeds their goal.
Mbeumo gave United their best moments
United's best bit of attacking play came from Mbeumo. He drove away down the left and set up Zirkzee for the opener after 16 minutes, the one sequence in the game that looked clean, quick and properly purposeful.
That matched the reaction afterwards. A Sky Sports reporter wrote that "Bryan Mbeumo caught the eye, showing impressive intensity to tee-up Zirkzee for the game's opener." The Manchester Evening News went further: "Bryan Mbeumo: Gone to a different level since being moved to striker in pre-season. Superb work for Zirkzee's goal and threatened to get another himself as well. 8"
For a friendly, that is about as strong a consensus as you get. Mbeumo's recent league form also gives it a bit more weight than a one-off summer cameo. He averaged 6.7 across his last five Premier League outings, compared with 6.2 for Zirkzee across his last five, which fits the sense that Mbeumo arrived in sharper condition.
Zirkzee still needed the finish, and United needed that sort of contribution from him. His recent rating trend is lower, so the goal felt more like a timely boost than proof he has hit top gear.
United still made the game harder for themselves
The other side of the night was far less polished. Leeds were back in it in the 29th minute when Fletcher lost possession in a dangerous area and Brenden Aaronson finished the move. United had controlled the scoreline for only a short spell before a loose moment in midfield wiped it out.
That part matters more in pre-season than the shootout does. Senior players can shake off rust, but young midfielders are judged hard on giveaways in central areas, and Fletcher's mistake was the clearest example of that here.
Fernandes' shootout miss added another wobble. The Standard reported: "Captain Bruno Fernandes, again restricted to a substitute cameo after his recent World Cup return, missed from 12 yards in uncharacteristic fashion, but James Justin hit the crossbar with the decisive spot-kick as Noussair Mazraoui rolled in the winner."
So United still got through it, with Noussair Mazraoui converting the winning penalty after James Justin hit the crossbar, but this was not a clean night's work. It was a useful one, though, because the standout performer was obvious and the weak points were obvious too.
The Dublin takeaways
The crowd of 82,000 at Croke Park got a match that felt more competitive than most pre-season fixtures, even if the football came in patches. United came into it on a three-game unbeaten pre-season run and had won four of their last five league matches, so the broader mood was stable enough. This game did not change that much.
What it did do was underline who looked ready. Mbeumo looked a level above most of the players around him, Zirkzee got his goal, and Fernandes had one of those rare penalty misses that would have taken over the story had United not come through in the end.
There was also a reminder on squad selection. Marcus Rashford travelled to Dublin but did not feature in the matchday squad.
For Michael Carrick, the useful part was straightforward: one attacker looked in rhythm, one striker got on the scoresheet, and United still left Dublin with clear mistakes to tidy up before the next friendly.
FAQ
Who stood out in Manchester United vs Leeds ratings?
Bryan Mbeumo was the standout in Dublin. He set up Joshua Zirkzee's opener with a left-sided burst in the 16th minute, and both Sky Sports and the Manchester Evening News singled him out as United's best performer.
Did Bruno Fernandes score his penalty against Leeds?
No. Bruno Fernandes missed from 12 yards in the shootout. United still came through after James Justin hit the crossbar and Noussair Mazraoui converted the winning penalty.
How did Leeds score against Manchester United in Dublin?
Leeds levelled in the 29th minute after Tyler Fletcher lost possession in a dangerous area. Brenden Aaronson finished the move to make it 1-1 before the match went to a shootout.
Was Marcus Rashford involved against Leeds at Croke Park?
Rashford travelled to Dublin but did not feature in the matchday squad. He was present around the game, but he did not play in the friendly at Croke Park.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
