How Matheus Cunha Fared in Man Utd Debut vs. Leeds

Manchester United supporters have been made to wait to catch the first glimpse of new signing Matheus Cunha, but they finally laid eyes on the Brazilian on Saturday afternoon.

The Red Devils travelled to Sweden for their opening pre-season friendly against Leeds United, with Cunha starting the clash alongside fellow debutant Diego León. The forward was aiming to get off to a flying start for his new club, but his first appearance didn’t quite go to plan.

Here’s how the Brazilian star fared against Leeds on Saturday.

Matheus Cunha vs. Leeds

Matheus Cunha, Man Utd — Cunha showed glimpses of promise. | IMAGO / Every Second Media

There wasn’t much to draw Man Utd supporters to the edge of their seats during the first half in Stockholm, but Cunha was the source of the most promising moments for the Red Devils. The 26-year-old rarely received possession but showed glimpses of his talent when on the ball, offering some much-needed positivity in the final third as he tried to make things tick.

Cunha’s forward-thinking approach and excellent close control saw him draw two early fouls as he sprinted beyond Leeds bodies only to be felled. One neat flick found Chido Obi in a promising position on the edge of the penalty box, with his distribution also emphatic as he completed 92% of his passes.

The issue for Cunha was those around him. Man Utd struggled to maintain consistent pressure on the Leeds goal and only managed 44% possession during the opening half. As a result, the Brazil international enjoyed just 25 touches, with none coming in the opposition box, and he was unable to muster any shots on goal or carve out any opportunities for teammates.

Withdrawn with the game goalless at the break, Cunha will be hoping for a more productive outing for his new side next time around.

When Will Matheus Cunha Play Next for Man Utd?

Man Utd will now travel to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series, which sees them face off against fellow top-flight outfits West Ham United, Bournemouth and Everton. The Irons are first up for the Red Devils on July 27 at MetLife Stadium—the venue that recently hosted the FIFA Club World Cup final.

Cunha should feature in all three of Man Utd’s pre-season clashes in North America and he will almost certainly make his Old Trafford bow as a Red against Fiorentina on August 9.