Man Utd mastermind behind clever corner routine in Tottenham win revealed as Bryan Mbeumo provides training ground secrets

United were gifted the upper-hand in their Premier League home date with Spurs at Old Trafford when Cristian Romero was dismissed inside half-an-hour for a reckless challenge on Casemiro that saw the Brazilian midfielder caught on the ankle.

It did not take long for the Red Devils to make their numerical advantage count, with Mbeumo firing them in front in the 34th minute. Club captain Fernandes fired a low corner into the feet of Mainoo, as he ran beyond the front post, and the England international turned the ball into the path of Mbeumo. His first-time shot was rolled into the bottom corner of the net.

Carrick was seen smiling in the direction of his bench after the goal went in, with Cameroon international forward Mbeumo telling reporters when asked how the routine came about: “It was the coach who wanted to practice this in training. We did it once, it didn't work out, but this one was the most important.”

He added when asked if Carrick was responsible, or a member of his backroom staff: “It was Jonny Evans who was coming to me and the guys.” Kaita Hasegawa is also being credited with offering a helping hand.

Carrick told TNT Sports when asked about the corner in question, with Hasegawa one of his first-team analysts: “Yeah, it was Jonny, he has had his eye on set-plays, Jonny Evans, and Kaita, the analyst. So it's great when things come off. Obviously, we've all got different ideas but the lads carried it off great. Bruno, Kobbie and Bryan put it away, so we're delighted with that.”

Carrick went on to say at his post-match press conference, with former United defender Evans back at Old Trafford in a coaching capacity: “I wouldn't say he's the set-piece coach, Jonny, but he's got an eye on it as well as we all have.

“Jonny has been doing a lot of work with the players and got the rewards for that, so we're delighted. We go into every game with some ideas and when you see it come off as good as that, and as important as that, it was the first goal and massive. It shows how important they can be.”

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Fernandes got a second for United late on against Tottenham, meaning that they have now won four consecutive Premier League games. They are into the Champions League qualification spots as a result.

Asked about the upturn in fortune that has been enjoyed since Ruben Amorim was relieved of his managerial duties and Carrick took over from caretaker coach Darren Fletcher, Mbeumo said: “I just feel we built on what we were doing from the start because I don't think it was that bad as a lot of people felt.

“We just worked together, make the effort together, with a big mentality, and we're never beaten. Even if someone gets past, we come back to support and just try to give it all. We just want to take it game by game, train as hard as possible and yeah, we just want to keep working as a team.”

He added in a message to United supporters: “It's a big club, the fans are a massive community and we feel that when we get onto the pitch. We want to make them happy, so we just try to use their energy that they give us and try to give our best.”

The Red Devils - who could claim a fifth straight win and allow viral fan The United Strand to get a long-awaited haircut - will be back in action on Tuesday when taking in a trip to relegation-threatened West Ham.