Manchester United suffered a 1-0 loss to Arsenal in their Premier League curtain-raiser at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Red Devils were the more dominant outfit over 90 minutes, but could not find the back of the net against the Gunners.
Still, there were plenty of positives to carry forward. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo were superb in the final third on their debuts.
Matthijs de Ligt was a rock in the heart of the Red Devils’ backline and nullified the presence of Viktor Gyokeres on most occasions.
Shortly after the 1-0 loss, Cunha wrote on Instagram that the Red Devils deserved so much more and the team will continue to improve.
He posted: “We deserved so much more! What an honor to debut in this environment. We will continue to improve. It’s just the beginning.”
Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr was one of those to respond. Cunha’s Brazilian teammate replied with ‘Joga Muito’ which means ‘Play too hard’.
Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes was likewise impressed by his compatriot and posted fire emojis to laud his performance.
Cunha had a memorable United debut despite the slender 1-0 loss to the Gunners.
The 26-year-old won eight duels against the Gunners alongside four successful dribbles.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man had four attempts on goal, with three on target.
He made a sensational solo run behind the Arsenal defence, but could not find a way past David Raya.
Cunha grew in confidence as the game progressed and should only get better in the coming games.
United have secured a fantastic playmaker in Cunha. He, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko had bright starts and could become one of the best attacking trios in the Premier League.
Stats from Sofascore.com