Bryan Mbeumo says a rise in work rate and collective effort has fuelled Manchester United’s recent run of form. The summer signing highlighted the team’s training ground focus after a 4–2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, a result that moved United up to fourth in the Premier League table.

“We all put a lot of work in training, that’s the most important thing,” he reflected. “What we do out there we try to repeat on the pitch. We are going to try to understand each other even better.” Mbeumo underlined the importance of consistency in practice translating into performances on matchday.

Asked what has changed in the past three games, Mbeumo added: “The work we put in, the effort, the togetherness is the key. We try to stick to the plan and try to play as best as possible.

“I like the challenges, I came here to a big club and I want to fight for the best places.”

The victory over Brighton formed part of a three-game winning sequence that included a 2–1 triumph over Liverpool. While that Liverpool win was described as the most glamorous of the run, manager Amorim argued the 4–2 result represented the more complete display.

“I have that feeling,” Amorim said. “I think [it] was a more complete performance.

“You can say whatever you want to say against Liverpool, but they didn’t deserve to lose that game. We deserve to win, but they didn’t deserve to lose.

“I think today, we did a little bit of everything. We had the ball, create chances, we defend high, we defend low. So, when it’s more complete, it’s not a statement, but I feel more complete also as a manager. So today… I think I like today more than last weekend.”

Those comments frame a simple message from United: repetition in training, collective effort and tactical discipline have driven the club up the table during this short winning sequence.

Erling Haaland has begun the 2025–26 season in relentless fashion, compiling 24 goals in 14 games for club and country. The 25-year-old added three strikes since returning from the October international break, including a match-winning brace against Everton last weekend and a Champions League goal away at Villarreal.

In the Premier League Haaland has now scored in six successive matches and is closing on the all-time run of 11 consecutive top-flight games set by Jamie Vardy. Vardy established that mark during Leicester’s title-winning 2015–16 season, overtaking the previous record of ten held by Ruud van Nistelrooy. Vardy officially achieved the feat on Nov. 28, 2015 against Manchester United.

Haaland’s previous best Premier League run was seven consecutive games with goals, a sequence that stretched from August to October 2022. The list of the leading runs in the competition includes Jamie Vardy (11), Ruud van Nistelrooy (10) and players with eight-game sequences such as Alexander Isak and Daniel Sturridge.

To match Vardy’s record Haaland must score in his next five league matches. Manchester City’s upcoming five Premier League fixtures are Aston Villa (A), Bournemouth (H), Liverpool (H), Newcastle United (A) and Leeds United (H). If he finds the net in each of those games he would then also need to score against Fulham (A) on Dec. 2 to reach 11 straight.

The available opponent data in the draft provides context for those fixtures. Against Aston Villa Haaland has played 4 matches and scored 1 goal; against Bournemouth 7 matches and 2 goals; Liverpool 8 matches and 3 goals; Newcastle 6 matches and 1 goal; Leeds 2 matches and 2 goals. Fulham is listed with 6 matches in the draft without a goals total supplied.

Renewing a run of scoring in every league game will be a clear challenge given the sequence of opponents, but the facts in this season to date show Haaland in exceptional form and closing on one of the Premier League’s most notable goalscoring records.

Manchester City head to Villa Park on Sunday determined to finally end their recent hoodoo at Aston Villa. City arrive on the back of a comfortable Champions League victory, a 2–0 win at Villarreal courtesy of first-half goals from Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva. Haaland has been irresistible this season, failing to score in only one match and contributing 24 goals for club and country.

Aston Villa come into the fixture in low spirits after a rotated side were beaten 2–1 by Go Ahead Eagles in the Europa League, a result that halted a five-match winning run across all competitions. The Midlands club must be more stubborn than they were in Deventer if they are to challenge City and push for a move into the top half of the table.

Villa have a largely healthy squad but will be without Youri Tielemans following the calf injury he suffered in mid-September; he is unlikely to return before the November international break. Andrés García will miss out, and Lucas Digne is a significant doubt after sitting out the trip to the Netherlands with an ankle problem picked up at Tottenham Hotspur.

Emery is expected to pick a side similar to the team that beat Spurs, with Ollie Watkins a possible recall for Donyell Malen. Evann Guessand, who scored his first Villa goal midweek, could continue on the right. Ian Maatsen is set to replace the injured Digne, while Morgan Rogers, John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash are likely to start after only brief cameos in the Europa League.

Aston Villa predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Onana; Guessand, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.

Pep Guardiola has confirmed Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov will miss the visit to Villa. Nico González, who suffered a foot injury against Villarreal, will be assessed nearer kick-off. Guardiola is expected to rotate his XI, with Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden and Nico O’Reilly pushing for returns.

Man City predicted lineup (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Kovačić; Silva, Reijnders, Foden, Doku; Haaland.

Villa have a good recent home record against City, but City are favourites. Villa should test the visitors, but City’s firepower, led by Haaland, could prove decisive.