When asked what was fleeting in his head before the decisive moment to help Manchester United defeat Arsenal, Matheus Cunha replied briefly: "I think I have to score".
Cunha received the ball in a position with his back to the goal, from a distance of more than 30m, ahead was the best defense and goalkeeper in the Premier League. But in the head of the Brazilian striker, there was only one thought.
I needed to score the decisive goal. When the ball came, everything happened very quickly. I just wanted to finish the ball neatly" - the Brazilian player shared.
Cunha's self-creation of the decisive moment, just minutes after Mikel Merino equalized, reminds of the type of player who often knows how to shine in big matches. And his name is constantly compared to Eric Cantona.
Man United CEO Omar Berrada once commented that Cunha "had a Cantona style" right after the £62.5 million deal from Wolves was completed. Since then, every time Cunha creates something different, the image of the French genius - the symbol that changed Man United's history in the 1990s - is mentioned again.
In fact, Cunha's explosive moments at Old Trafford are still not as much as expected for his fee and reputation. Therefore, the comparison is sometimes seen as a bit exaggerated, especially during the period when Cunha could not pull the "Red Devils" when Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo were absent, and Bruno Fernandes was injured. Even, he had to start the last 2 matches from the bench - a position that Cantona rarely experienced.
However, the moment against Arsenal is a clear affirmation. Cunha truly possesses the qualities of a star who knows how to decide the match. And if he maintains that sharpness, he can become an important piece to help Man United gradually regain the position they are longing for.
The change of coach has a negative impact on Cunha in a clear aspect when he was not in the starting lineup in both matches of Man United under Carrick. However, the Brazilian striker still maximized opportunities from the bench.
The former Wolves player assisted the winning goal for Patrick Dorgu against Man City, and then created a beautiful decisive moment against Arsenal himself. From then on, Cunha seemed to also benefit from the more positive atmosphere at the club since Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim.
Some sources said that training sessions under Carrick brought a more exciting feeling and he did not "feed" too much information like Amorim. According to British media, Amorim's long and tactical training sessions exhausted the players emotionally. It is not difficult to understand why this could affect a player like Cunha, who often plays best when based on instinct.
That is how he performed at Emirates, as well as in his excellent finish against Brighton - the situation that opened one of Cunha's best performances of the season. And that is also what made Cantona famous.
The French legend once scored 2 decisive goals in a similar way against Arsenal, helping Man United win 1-0 at Old Trafford in the 1993-1994 and 1995-1996 seasons.
In general, the comparison between Cunha and Cantona is still very shaky. However, one thing that cannot be denied is that Cunha will play an important role with the hope of a good ending to Man United's season.
