Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre praised the performance of Bryan Mbeumo on his debut against Arsenal in the 1-0 Premier League loss at Old Trafford on Sunday, Afrosport reports.
The Red Devils were the better side for much of the contest but were let down by Riccardo Calafiori’s header in the 13th minute.
Cameroon international Mbeumo was one of the standout players in the game, with his work rate and forward runs causing the Gunners problems.
Silvestre, who also played for Arsenal, described the 26-year-old as a character that has made his way up the football chain.
“He’s one of those characters. He didn’t have it easy to get to this level, coming from Troyes in France – a small club – and getting to Brentford, who were in the Championship at the time,” he told MUTV.
“He has been growing and growing as a player and has become one of the main players in the Premier League. It was a very cool start for him, [he was] ready to battle, to make a difference. Very strong, and ready to really sweat for the badge.”
An all-action debut 🇧🇷
Matheus was voted by our fans as the standout performer in Sunday’s game against Arsenal 🤝 pic.twitter.com/JPJnGgHPUc
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 18, 2025
United will travel to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham in their next league match.
