Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has reportedly taken it upon himself to mentor Matheus Cunha in a bid to help him become an Old Trafford legend. Cunha, who arrived from Wolves in the summer, endured a rocky start with the Red Devils. In fact, he didn’t manage to score or assist in his first eight appearances and even missed a match due to a hamstring injury before the first international break.
However, he finally broke his goalless streak and scored his first for United in their 4-2 victory over Brighton on Saturday. Cunha netted the first goal of the match, curling the ball from the edge of the box into the bottom corner. Now, it’s been reported that Fernandes has played a crucial role in helping Cunha cope with the pressures of being a United player.
He has taken the forward under his wing, according to The Sun, with their shared Portuguese language fostering a strong bond between them.
The report claims that Fernandes and Cunha have spent countless hours in extra training sessions, honing their skills on free-kicks and set pieces.
Insiders suggest that guidance has been instrumental in improving Cunha’s emotional control and confidence, particularly during his time out injured.
Despite not scoring or assisting in United’s recent triumph over Liverpool, the former Wolves man demonstrated his potential to be a key player for the Red Devils.
Cunha found the back of the net against Brighton, earning high praise from Ruben Amorim. He scored 17 goals in 36 matches last season.
“He was struggling, he can hide that, but I understand he’s struggling,” said Amorim in his post-match interview.
“He shows confidence in every moment of the game. I really love the way he defends. I know I’m a little bit basic on that, but it’s not a surprise the way he responded at Anfield.
“It’s not a surprise the way he played with the ball, but without the ball, he’s improving. That is going to be massive for our team.
“He needs to score goals; he suffered when he didn’t score, but he is a top player because he decides games, and I’m really pleased with him.”