The £62.5 million blockbuster becomes a new concern for MU

Manchester United faces major issues with their expensive new signing after a heavy defeat to Brentford on Saturday night (27/9).

Manchester United continues to sink deeper into crisis following a disappointing 1-3 loss to Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium. The Red Devils were undone by Igor Jesus’s brace and a stunning injury-time goal from Mathias Jensen, while Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty. However, the greater worry for Manchester United fans is not just the defeat but the lackluster performance of their high-profile signing Matheus Cunha.

Joining Old Trafford from Wolves for £62.5 million, Cunha was once expected to become the ideal “number 10” in Ruben Amorim’s system, a role Manchester United sorely lacked last season. He possesses technique, the ability to evade pressing, and skillful ball control, seemingly poised to solve the creativity problem for the Red Devils.

However, the reality is harsh. After starting 3 of the first 5 Premier League games, Cunha has yet to register a goal or assist. Against Brentford, the Brazilian forward touched the ball 45 times but mostly in ineffective situations. He often handled the ball slowly and made poor choices, causing Manchester United’s attacks to falter.

The second half showed some improvement when Cunha played a part leading to a penalty, but his selfishness and lack of creativity disappointed fans even more. What Cunha has shown so far is completely opposite to the expectations of a £62.5 million game-changer.

Not only has Cunha declined, but Amorim’s tactical system is also turning him into an unintended “hotspot.” In the second half against Brentford, when struggling to build play, Manchester United repeatedly launched long balls to Cunha. However, he was frequently surrounded and unsupported by teammates.

More worryingly, Cunha still hasn’t found synergy with the wing-backs. When he deliberately dropped deeper to create space, almost no combinations happened. Instead of leveraging the Brazilian’s ball control and movement, Manchester United left him to “cope alone” while being tightly marked.

Cunha’s stats against Brentford (Source: Fotmob):

• Minutes played: 90
• Touches: 45
• Shots on target: 1/4 (25%)
• Successful dribbles: 0/1 (0%)
• Accurate crosses: 0/1 (0%)
• Loss of possession: 1

Cunha is the type of player who can produce explosive moments, but relying on individual flair cannot be a long-term strategy, especially for a team in crisis. Amorim clearly needs to “redraw the board” if he doesn’t want this £62.5 million signing to become a new burden at Old Trafford.