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MATHEUS CUNHA GIVES MAN UTD NEW LIFE ON PITCH

Matheus Cunha is proving his $82m worth at Manchester United, becoming a key figure in Ruben Amorim's system. The Brazilian's confidence and technical skill are driving United's recent resurgence.

Matheus Cunha Gives Man Utd New Life On Pitch
Cunha Boosts Manchester United’s Attacking Threat - COURTESY/PHOTO

The past month or so has seen a significant shift in Manchester United's viewpoint. Only a few weeks ago, Ruben Amorim was facing severe criticism, but the Portuguese coach has managed to turn United's fortunes around, and Matheus Cunha has played a significant role in that surprising comeback.

Cunha, who cost $82 million to sign from Wolves during the summer transfer window, came to Old Trafford after a stellar 2024–2025 season. The Brazilian established himself as one of the Premier League's top all-around attacking players with 15 goals and six assists for Wolves.

Although it was expected that a team of Manchester United's calibre would approach in the summer, it was unclear at first what function Cunha would serve in his new squad. Bruno Fernandes was already a goal-scoring number 10 for United, while Bryan Mbeumo joined during the summer transfer window.

But with Amorim's system, which had Fernandes and Mbeumo on the same side, Cunha was always envisioned as playing as the left-sided number 10. Cunha has contributed in several games this season, even though he scored his first United goal in Saturday's victory over Brighton.

Manchester United was in dire need of a player like Cunha. The Brazilian has a sense of self-confidence in his performance that allows him to assume responsibilities when his team is struggling. The kind of player who enjoys the pressure on his shoulders is Cunha.

When asked about Cunha's influence, Amorim responded, "He brings something hard for us to point to; it is not simply the skill and the talent." In this type of setting, he has a particular skill that he plays with great ease. He can advance our team. He has a unique quality and is a crucial member of our team, but he still needs to work on many areas, particularly defence.

Cunha was the player who gave Manchester United breathing room under duress during the team's recent victory over Liverpool at Anfield. When opponents close down, the Brazilian is quite good at absorbing possession and somehow holding onto it. During certain crucial parts of the game, this provided United vitality.

And Cunha has a lot more in store. As the Brazilian begins to build rapport with players like Fernandes, Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, he undoubtedly expects to increase his total of goals and assists during the campaign. Cunha appears to be a wise investment of $82 million.

EX-CAPTAIN NEVILLE CLAIMS SUBSTITUTIONS MADE MANCHESTER UNITED "WORSE" AGAINST WOLVES

Gary Neville slams Ruben Amorim’s "weird" substitutions and tactical shifts after Manchester United's 1-1 draw with bottom-side Wolves.

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Was the halftime substitution a tactical error or an injury?

Gary Neville said that the performance of Manchester United in their match against winless Wolves was ‘the baddest of the bad.’

United would have moved fourth in the league with a win at Old Trafford last night, although Wolves, who had two points in 18 games before kickoff, ended their record of 11 straight losses with a 1-1 draw.

Amorim’s team had been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by a League Two team, Grimsby, in August, but Neville was convinced that United had hit rock bottom in a game that could have been even more one-sided were it not for two important saves by Senne Lammens.

“That was the baddest of the bad," the former United captain declared on the Gary Neville podcast.

“They weren’t just booed off at the final whistle. The fans waited in the stadium to continue to boo them. They’ve gone backwards.”

United had won at Newcastle 1-0 on Boxing Day, despite being plagued by an injury list that already lacked skipper Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt, as well as three players on African Cup of Nations duty.

But they remained flat right from the first whistle, and the header by Ladislav Krejci just before the half bottled Joshua Zirkzee's deflected shot.

Amorim’s formation choice of 3-4-3 was brought into focus once more as the Portuguese opted to go back to his preferred tactic of four at the back against Newcastle.

“This isn’t right. I’ve watched enough of United over the last five or six weeks to know what looks right and what isn’t right,” Neville had declared 20 minutes into his commentary on Sky Sports.

“Because, when I see that we go back (to three at the back) after five minutes tonight, I’m thinking, no, Ruben, why have you done that?

"The manager has to look at that and think, I got that wrong. I complicated it."

However, Amorim decided to substitute Zirkzee at halftime and brought on an 18-year-old Jack Fletcher, who made his third appearance at the senior level.

Regarding substitutions made by Amorim, Neville further added, “They made Manchester United worse. Every single substitution was ridiculous.”

‘If Zirkzee was injured, and it was a tactical substitution, that was a very poor one.’ But Zirkzee isn't Eric Cantona, not by a long shot, and he had to get out there for physicality, for presence, for experience.”

SEE LISANDRO MARTINEZ’S FURIOUS REACTION AFTER MAN UTD’S SHOCK WOLVES DRAW

Lisandro Martinez demands more after Man Utd’s 1-1 draw with bottom-placed Wolves. United ended 2025 sixth in the Premier League.

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Martinez slams United’s tactical mistakes

Stand-in captain Lisandro Martinez was mad that Manchester United dropped points against Wolves, who are at the bottom of the league.

United came into the last game of 2025 after a good win against Newcastle on Boxing Day and were expected to easily beat Wolves.

Joshua Zirkzee scored first for United, but they didn't take their chances. Ladislav Krejci's header tied the game for Wolves, 1-1.

It was only their third point in 19 games, and it stopped their 11-game losing streak. United fans booed at the end of the game.

When Martinez was asked if it felt like a disappointing point, he said, 100 percent.

We are very disappointed. We can't keep drawing or losing points at home. We have to win.

We want to be at the top, competing with the best.

We can't drop points in games like this. We just have to accept it and be hungry for the next game.

Martinez was captain again because Bruno Fernandes is still recovering from an injury.

When United coach Ruben Amorim was asked about injured players for the game against Leeds on Sunday, he didn't give much away. Leeds are really wanting to beat United for the first time since 2010.

Martinez said to MUTV, You can either make excuses, or you can be strong and say, 'We're dropping points, so we need to go for the next one and show what we can do.'

We need to work together and do the easy things to get the three points.

United is in sixth place in the league at the end of 2025, only two points behind Liverpool for the last Champions League spot. Liverpool has a game in hand.

They could be in a better position if they had been better in both boxes. Leeds has been playing well lately, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin doing great up front.

Martinez added, It's about us. I don't like to think about other teams.

I'm thinking about what we can do to get better as a team every day, and we have to learn from this game.

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