The effects of Manchester United’s spirited performance against Arsenal, despite the defeat, are still lingering, with Ben Foster showering praise on one player in particular.
Man Utd’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal was as good a loss as can possibly be, with the team playing at a high tempo and pinning Arsenal back.
There were many who impressed, with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo making a solid first impression at Old Trafford.
Patrick Dorgu personified athleticism, and Mason Mount continued to impress, but Ben Foster said one player was on a ‘different level’ entirely.
Former Wrexham AFC player Ben Foster looks on prior to the match between Sydney FC and Wrexham AFC at Allianz Stadium
Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images
Ben Foster in awe of Matheus Cunha
Cunha was described as having a Cantona-esque personality by Omar Berrada when he signed, and in his first competitive game, he lived up to those lofty expectations.
A goal was the only thing missing from a maverick display where, at times, he looked like he would single-handedly will United to a goal.
The stadium was at its feet every time he picked up the ball, with his relentless runs forward sprinkled with some Brazilian trickery, making him an instant fan favourite.
Count Ben Foster among those fans. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Foster said that United didn’t deserve to lose the game, and Cunha being on a ‘different level’ had a lot to do with that.
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He said: “Cunha was just different level. He’s just positive, looks to go forward. Never looks for the simple option. He’ll always try to break ranks, exploit space, and get a shot off. He’ll annoy some players at some point because he’s happy to shoot from 40 yards! Absolutely brilliant. Man of the match.” [Near 8.02 mark]
Cunha isn’t even at his peak
Perhaps the most exciting thing about that Cunha performance is that it arrives when he’s still building a connection with his teammates.
He even started one pre-season game on the bench, so he’s not at full fitness either, and the same goes for Bryan Mbeumo.
If this is Cunha’s “floor” of performance, then United have truly signed a dazzling superstar who will be winning games single-handedly at times when he’s at his “ceiling”.
The Brazilian already said after arriving that the spotlight at United doesn’t scare him. In fact, it drives him to be even better and live up to it.
Against Arsenal, he took a brilliant first step towards backing those words with actions on the pitch.