The clock at Anfield only had a few seconds left to reach the 90 minute mark. Liverpool was awarded a corner kick on the right wing, Cody Gakpo hung the ball into the penalty area. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens punched the ball out but only reached the right position of Matheus Cunha.
The Brazilian striker quickly patted his head to observe, then cleverly crossed the ball past Jeremie Frimpong's head, before leading the ball safely to the sidelines. Frimpong did not give up, trying to chase, but Cunha calmly used his body to cover the ball, making it impossible for the Liverpool defender to win.
Florian Wirtz also immediately rushed in, trying to put pressure, but even though he was tightly marked by two players in red, Cunha remained incredibly calm. He skillfully turned around, tricked Frimpong and was fouled but still got up very quickly, tapping a delicate pass through 2 Liverpool players to bring the ball to Patrick Dorgu's feet, helping M.U escape the pressure.
That move summed up Cunha's exemplary performance at Anfield. That is intelligence, calmness and efficiency. The Brazilian striker is an important piece in Man United's attacking trio, along with Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount. The three constantly changed positions, causing Liverpool's defense to always be confused and unable to get a card.
The difference Ruben Amorim brings
With the arrivals of Cunha and Mbeumo, Ruben Amorim has the hands of two "players" in the Premier League. In addition, Mason Mount is also in perfect rhythm with the two new recruits after a long period of struggling with injuries.
Their strengths are not only their speed and the ability to exploit space. The trio can also handle the ball in tight spaces, keep it under pressure and wait for the right moment to launch the decisive punch.
Former captain Roy Keane commented on Sky Sports: Last season, M.U was weak in both defense and attack. However, today, they scored 2 goals and showed clear scoring potential. Some attackers look a bit complacent, but that is the confidence needed. This image is similar to Eric Cantona in the past. The team must know how to rebuild from this victory".
Amorim's bold decision
Ruben Amorim surprised when he left Benjamin Sesko on the bench. He did not want a traditional centre-back to get into the meaningless competition of the steel centre-back pair Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. Instead, M.U proactively played 10-20 meters lower than usual, exploiting the space in front of Liverpool's defense.
Amorim shared after the match: " Konate and Van Dijk like to collide and rush to dispute. However, almost all of our counter-attacks have come through Cunha and he has always moved away from their centre-back. Thanks to that, we controlled the ball much better".
Liverpool helpless in predicting
Amorim's 3-4-3 system is still controversial, but at Anfield, Liverpool themselves are the team that does not know how to handle the opponent's mobile attack. Van Dijk has been stuck between two options: whether to move up or hold the position, while Milos Kerkez has been completely exploited. If in previous seasons, Liverpool's weakness was on the right wing, now the left wing is the weak weak link.
Cunha acts as an escape route in counter-attacks, while Mbeumo and Mount take turns getting inside, opening up space for Amad Diallo to take the lead. It was Amad who assisted the opening goal when he cut the gap between Kerkez and Van Dijk, allowing Mbeumo to coldly escape and finish.
Not long after, Cunha made a perfect cross-court pass to Amad, causing Kerkez to drop deep into panic. The Ivorian star returned to Bruno Fernandes but the "Red Devils" captain's shot hit the post.
Confidence
Although this was just the start of the Cunha - Mbeumo - Mount attacking trio, the way they made the Premier League champions' defense chase the ball throughout the match was a clear positive signal. Amorim seems to have found a formula for the attack front based on flexibility, speed and skillful technique, instead of relying on set pieces or monotonous pressing.
When the final whistle blew, the image of Cunha holding the ball in the corner of the pitch, surrounded by two Liverpool players, was still imprinted in the minds of the "Red Devils" fans. It is not only a technical treatment, it is also a symbol of the maturity of a group that was once considered disoriented.
