Matheus Cunha looked like the ideal Manchester United player even when he was at Wolves, but he has now had the same realisation that hit Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte.
Joining from Wolves in the summer, Matheus Cunha is yet to score or assist for Man Utd, but his overall level of play remains encouraging.
He has shone for Brazil on this international break, so Man Utd fans will hope that the fixture at Anfield to restart club proceedings is when he breaks his duck.
In the meantime, he should be cut some slack due to a realisation he has had about playing for Man Utd. Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte would sympathise.
Matheus Cunha talks about playing for Man Utd
It is often said that Man Utd are the biggest club in the world, regardless of how good their team is, because the eyeballs that follow the club are second to none.
The most amazing thing is that the club retains so much of its following despite being in a gloomy period on the pitch.
You only realise just how massive the club is once you are a part of it, which is something that Manuel Ugarte said he recently realised.
It followed the same realisation that Noussair Mazraoui had at the end of his first season at Old Trafford, despite coming from Bayern Munich.
Now, speaking to Brazilian outlet Globo, Cunha said he can also feel so many more eyes on him, even when he plays for Brazil, just because he joined Man Utd.
He said: “I think because I play for Manchester and people watch me more on the field, they understand how I play better. I think it’s part of having that weight (of being seen as a center forward), which is a privilege.
“If I’m going to have that weight and be champion, I think it’s worth putting up with some of the confusion surrounding Matheus’s playing situation.”
Cunha will thrive with added scrutiny
A major reason why Cunha was such an attractive signing for decision-makers at Old Trafford was precisely because of this.
While many players cower under the weight of scrutiny and expectations at United, Cunha is clearly a character who enjoys the big stage.
It’s why Cunha was compared to Eric Cantona by CEO Omar Berrada before he had even played a competitive game for the club.
Cunha has that swagger and skill to puff his chest and take the game by the scruff of its neck, hating the feeling of a loss with pure passion.
All the things mentioned above are intangibles, but are clearly visible on the pitch, which is why it’s a fair bet that Cunha won’t buckle under the weight of added eyeballs at Old Trafford.
He just needs that one maverick performance to set him on his way. What better way to kickstart it than at Anfield against historic rivals Liverpool?
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/6SRHioz