Ruben Amorim has a chance to really achieve good progress in a condensed Premier League this season, and he will be delighted to know that there are players itching to have an impact.
The loss to Everton deflated the mood a little, but the larger reality is that Man Utd have lost just that one game in their last seven.
Matheus Cunha is returning from an injury, and while the spectre of AFCON looms large, there is a boost for Ruben Amorim in that regard as well.
The Man Utd manager has now revealed that one star ‘struggled’ and was ‘not happy’ with what transpired against Everton and Palace from a personal POV, but it bodes well for the team.
Matheus Cunha, Amad of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on November 21, 2025
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Ruben Amorim reveals Matheus Cunha’s “unhappiness”
Cunha has had to miss the last two games on account of a head injury, which forced him into a concussion protocol of sitting out at least ten days.
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The game against Everton was screaming out for somebody like him for a moment of inspiration, while the goals against Palace were also not from open play.
Amorim has now revealed that Cunha wanted to play so badly that he struggled massively seeing United labour their way through the past two games.
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The Palace game was even more bittersweet for him because the team won, but the players who scored played in his position.
Amorim said: “I think he [Cunha] struggled with the last two games out. He was struggling because he wanted to play. He has fun playing the game, and that is so important to want that pressure and challenge.
“It was not good for him to stop playing. He saw a lot of players playing well, especially in his position, so he is not happy. He comes back now, and he will have the opportunity to score and assist.”
Cunha’s absence became a blessing in disguise for Man Utd
As Amorim said, it is a brilliant sign that the players out injured are itching to get back onto the pitch, starting with Cunha.
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His absence ended up being a blessing in disguise in a way, because Joshua Zirkzee got the chance to make an impact.
He struggled against Everton, but scored against Palace, and suddenly, even if he’s back on the bench, he’s a more confident version of himself.
The same goes for Mason Mount, who finally completed 90 minutes for Man Utd, the first time since November 2023, and is now a reliable option.
The only player who would be looking at this period with wistful eyes is Shea Lacey, who could have received a chance during Cunha’s absence but looks even more unlikely to debut now.
Nevertheless, the competition for places is heating up at Old Trafford, and that will only end up benefiting the club.
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