After 45 minutes of official play for Manchester United in the match against Leeds, Matheus Cunha was once again given the opportunity to play another 65 minutes in the match against West Ham.
Under the leadership of coach Ruben Amorim, Man United won 2-1. Although Bruno Fernandes was the one who shined with both goals and the most impressive performance in the match, Cunha also left a strong impression in the playing style.
The 26-year-old joined Old Trafford from Wolves for a fee of £62.5 million. Obviously, he is the type of player that the team is really hungry for.
Not only in his ability to score, Cunha's physical strength and enthusiastic fighting spirit promise to be warmly welcomed at Old Trafford - where a new wind is needed in attack.
After only 2 minutes, Cunha's most impressive shot appeared right at home. He quickly rushed into Man United's penalty area, regained the ball but could not keep control. However, his determination created conditions for Hojlund to run up and finish, hitting the ball against the post along the goal.
Cunha clearly needs to prove himself, and there is no clearer example than the decisive shot from a distance in the middle of the first half. The attack may have been a bit hasty, but it was a positive and direct situation, showing his style.
The ability to use both feet well - when Cunha pretends to shoot with one foot and then suddenly shoots with the other - will certainly cause difficulties for the opposing defenders.
In the 35th minute, although his pass to Hojlund on the edge of the penalty area was unsuccessful, the determination to win the ball back gave Cunha the opportunity to shoot at the target. Although his final shot was blocked, his efforts and fighting spirit still left more promise than the result.
Amorim kept the same starting lineup in the first half, restrained his desire to change all players to maximize playing time for many different positions. Maybe this is a sign that he has found his strongest squad. Cunha played an indispensable role in this victory.
Just a few minutes after the second half started, Cunha broke through West Ham's midfield, taking the ball forward with the strength and speed of a soccer player rather than a soccer player. He also showed a similar effect in the previous match against Leeds.
The ability to make a breakthrough and make a breakthrough when Man United switch from defense to attack is something Amorim really needs. To prove that his excellent defensive performance was not a fluke, in the 60th minute, Cunha once again rolled back the ball.
Except for Fernandes, who was often irritable, it seems that only Amad was the only player of the "Red Devils" ready to chase each ball and try his best last season. And Cunha is now showing similar qualities.
"Cunha will help the team a lot because he has the ability to dribble. We lacked those players last season. Cunha is a good player, playing in many positions" - Amorim shared after the match.
