VIDEO: Man Utd star Bryan Mbeumo outpaces Adama Traore in 91st minute sprint race

The incident occurred deep into injury time during United's 1-1 draw with West Ham at the London Stadium. With the Hammers looking to hit United on the counter-attack in the 91st minute, the ball broke to Callum Wilson, who drove forward with intent. Adama Traore, widely regarded as one of the fastest players in Premier League history, ignited his afterburners to support the break, looking to peel away from the United defence.

However, Mbeumo had other ideas. Despite having played the full 90 minutes, the United forward showcased incredible stamina and raw pace to sprint 70 metres back towards his own goal. As the video below shows, Mbeumo not only kept pace with the fresh-legged Traore, who had only entered the fray as a late substitute, but actually overtook him, cutting off the passing lane and effectively killing the danger. The defensive effort was greeted with cheers from the travelling support, who have quickly warmed to Mbeumo's selfless style of play since his move from Brentford.

The sprint proved to be a vital intervention in a game that hung in the balance until the final whistle. West Ham had taken the lead through Tomas Soucek in the 50th minute and looked set to claim all three points. However, United's persistence paid off when substitute Benjamin Sesko popped up with a dramatic equaliser in the 96th minute to salvage a point for Michael Carrick's side.

Mbeumo's defensive discipline will delight Carrick, who has called for greater intensity from his forward line. While the assist for the equaliser went to the Cameroonian, it was his willingness to do the dirty work at the other end that caught the eye of pundits and fans alike.

The draw keeps United in the hunt for the Champions League places, although they will feel they should have offered more in the final third before the late drama. Mbeumo, who has now registered nine goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, continues to be one of the few bright sparks in a transitional campaign.

United will have a week without any competitive action, with the FA Cup taking place this week. The Red Devils were knocked out in the previous round against Brighton, so their next game comes on February 23 when they travel to Merseyside to face Everton, followed a week later by a home game against Crystal Palace. 

Traore and West Ham, however, are still in the competition and will come up against a Burton side currently struggling in the League One relegation zone.