JUST IN: WHY ROY KEANE SAYS £62M STAR MATHEUS CUNHA IS "THE REAL DEAL."
Roy Keane labels Matheus Cunha "the real deal" but blasts Manchester United’s defence after a 2-1 loss to Villa.
After Manchester United's loss to Aston Villa, Roy Keane pointed out one player who impressed him.
Morgan Rogers scored a great goal to get things going at Villa Park, but United's Matheus Cunha, who joined in the summer, evened the score right before halftime.
Even though Ruben Amorim's team played better overall, Rogers scored a second goal, giving Aston Villa a 2-1 victory and their tenth straight win since November 6.
This win means Aston Villa will be in third place in the Premier League on Christmas Day, just one point behind Manchester City and three points behind Arsenal.
Manchester United, on the other hand, is now seventh in the league, three points away from the Champions League spots.
Even though the Red Devils went home with nothing, Keane saw some good things in United's play and is still impressed with Cunha, who joined the team this summer.
Cunha, who came from Wolves for £62.5 million last summer, scored his second goal for United in the game against Aston Villa. He also had a great chance to tie the score in the second half, but missed.
When asked on Sky Sports if he saw potential in Cunha, Keane said, He's more than just potential; he's the real deal.
There was no doubt about the goal; it was a fantastic finish. But then he misses an easy shot in the second half, which doesn't make sense. It's hard to believe he missed it.
Keane, a former captain, also talked about United's performance in general, saying, I wouldn't say they were unlucky; they gave up two goals.
They've let in six goals in the last two games, which isn't good enough. We praise their attack, and they're more of a threat, but they're giving up too many chances and goals. You can't improve if that keeps going on.
United can fight, and they showed it again, but they need to be more intense when defending and show more.
You can't let in six goals in two games and expect to win because you're making it too difficult for yourselves. They're not good enough when they don't have the ball.
Amorim said in his post-match interview that Manchester United was the 'better team' against Aston Villa.
"I think we were the better team," Amorim said. We were better.
We stopped their attacks well, and they did a great job. We did a very good job, but no one will remember it tomorrow because the result is what matters.
I think we deserved much more, but the better team didn't win.
THOMAS TUCHEL AND CARLO ANCELOTTI RULE OUT MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER JOB VACANCY
Michael Carrick remains unbeaten as Man United manager! Read about his 2-0 win over City and why Tuchel and Ancelotti are ruled out.
Manchester United are still searching for a new permanent manager after Ruben Amorim’s exit, even though Michael Carrick’s start as caretaker has turned some heads. Carlo Ancelotti’s already made it clear he’s not interested, and Thomas Tuchel just committed his future to England.
Carrick stepped in after Amorim got sacked last month, and so far, he’s done well. If the good results keep coming, United might offer him the job full-time, but they’re still looking at other options.
Tuchel was in the running for a while, but on Thursday, he signed a new deal with the England national team. He’s staying put until after Euro 2028.
Then there’s Ancelotti. He’s coaching Brazil now and looks set to extend his contract there soon. United reportedly had him on their list, but last year, the Italian pretty much ruled out returning to club football unless Real Madrid came calling.
Back in September 2025, Ancelotti spoke to L’Equipe about his future. He didn’t leave much room for doubt and said there’s only one European side he’d consider managing again.
“Real Madrid is the only team I will accept managing after Brazil,” Ancelotti said. So, with that and his new Brazil deal, United can cross his name off for good.
So, who takes over after this season? No one knows yet. Carrick, since stepping back in January, hasn’t lost a single match.
He kicked things off by leading United to a 2-0 win over Manchester City can’t ask for a better start. After that, they beat Arsenal, Fulham, and Tottenham, and then grabbed a last-minute draw against West Ham.
This unbeaten run has fans and pundits calling for Carrick to get the job permanently. After the win over Fulham, people wanted to know what he thought about his future. Carrick kept it honest: “Nothing’s changed, to be honest.
“I know what I’m here to do and what’s expected of me. We want success, and I want the club to be successful down the line—whether that’s with me or someone else.
“I can’t control what happens next. All I can do is try to make the team better and make United stronger. A handful of good results doesn’t change that. If it does, something’s off.
“You can’t just react to a few games, good or bad. It’s about building something solid.”
THE £70M HOMECOMING: WHY MAN UNITED DREAM OF RE-SIGNING SERIE A MVP SCOTT MCTOMINAY
Manchester United wants Scott McTominay back! Discover the £70m price tag and why Tottenham is eyeing Michael Carrick for manager.
Manchester United want Scott McTominay back at Old Trafford, and it’s no secret what it’ll cost them. Meanwhile, Tottenham are eyeing a bold move for a new manager.
McTominay left United in August 2024, heading to Napoli for £25 million even though he’d just finished his best season yet, scoring some big goals and keeping Erik ten Hag in the job. Since then, he’s thrived in Italy. Last season, he helped Napoli win the Serie A title and even picked up the league’s MVP award. No wonder Premier League clubs are paying attention. United want him back, and they’re at the front of the queue.
The word from Italy is United “dream of a reunion. McTominay’s happy in Naples, but he’s got unfinished business at United and wants to prove his critics wrong. Napoli’s chief, Leonardo Giammarioli, admitted he’s worried about losing his star midfielder if a massive offer comes in. He even compared it to Nick Woltemade’s exit from Stuttgart.
Fraser Fletcher, our transfer guy, broke the story back in November that United and Arsenal are both looking at McTominay, and Spurs are interested too. But McTominay’s not leaving for just any club. He wants the right project. And it won’t be cheap. Napoli want at least €80m (£70m/$95m) if they’re going to let their 29-year-old star go.
For United, McTominay is one of several targets as they look to rebuild their midfield. Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, and Adam Wharton are also on the list.
Now, about Michael Carrick: United loves what he’s done as interim boss. But they’re not the only ones. Graeme Bailey says Tottenham are seriously considering Carrick for their permanent manager job. Carrick played for both United and Spurs, and Tottenham already thought about him before hiring Thomas Frank last summer. His quick adjustment to Premier League management hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Spurs have brought in Igor Tudor as interim manager, but Carrick’s in the mix to take over this summer. Of course, it depends on whether United decide to keep him themselves. Sources say United are really impressed with his style and attitude, though they’re still weighing their options.
United aren’t just busy with managers; they’re scouting too. This weekend, they’ll have people watching Inter Milan’s Federico Dimarco and Juventus’ Pierre Kalulu in the Derby d’Italia. Kalulu’s been all over the pitch for Juve, playing centre-back, right-back, and wing-back. Dimarco, on the other hand, has been electric for Inter at left wing-back, with six goals and 13 assists in 31 games. Both United and Arsenal are watching closely.
Dimarco might be easier to sign than Kalulu because of his contract. Inter want to extend his deal, but for now, it runs out in June 2027. United have been dreaming about him as their new left-back.
On another note, England rugby captain Maro Itoje spoke out against Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recent comments on immigration. “I disagree with the terminology and sentiments of what he said,” Itoje told the BBC. “I do not believe that immigrants have colonised Great Britain. That’s just not true, and it’s the wrong thing to say.
“I’m a proud Londoner, proud to play for and captain England. That’s one of my greatest accomplishments. But I’m also of Nigerian descent, and I’m proud of that heritage too.
“Honestly, I think Ratcliffe’s wording was clumsy, and his numbers were wrong. I saw he apologised, and I respect people who can admit when they’ve messed up and say sorry. So, credit to him for that.”