Paul Scholes Warns Carrick on Matheus Cunha Dilemma
Paul Scholes has sounded the alarm for Michael Carrick, insisting Manchester United cannot keep muddling through without a proper centre-forward – and that Matheus Cunha is fast becoming a major problem.
The Brazilian endured a torrid afternoon in Sunday’s goalless draw with Everton, standing out for all the wrong reasons in a game where several United players struggled. His display was littered with overhit passes, heavy touches, poor movement and missed chances – a performance that felt like a running list of what can go wrong for a forward.
At the heart of it all sat a familiar issue: nobody seems quite sure what Cunha’s role is anymore.
Lost between the lines
Last season, Carrick largely used Cunha off the left, where his energy and sharpness gave United a different edge. That pathway has now been blocked. Marcus Rashford’s return has seen him immediately restored to his preferred berth on the flank, and Carrick clearly wants his No.10 out wide.
So Cunha has been shunted elsewhere.
Recently he has been asked to lead the line, operating as a kind of false nine. At times, Bruno Fernandes has stepped into that role instead, with Cunha dropping into the No.10 position. The end result? A forward line that looks improvised, and a player who looks increasingly unsure of himself.
Cunha, once full of spark and conviction in his first campaign at Old Trafford, now cuts a very different figure. He looks short of inspiration, short of confidence, and possibly still short of full fitness. Carrick might be willing to give him time, but Scholes believes the issue is already too stark to ignore.
Scholes: ‘What is Cunha?’
Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, the United legend did not hide his frustration at the current set-up.
"It's very difficult to watch a Man United team without a centre forward," Scholes said.
"Now, what Cunha is, I don't really know what Cunha is, what is he a number 10 or a wide player.
"But he's definitely not a number nine. And watching the United team without a number nine, it's a struggle."
That struggle was thrown into sharp relief once Benjamin Sesko stepped off the bench at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Slovenian immediately gave United a focal point, attacking crosses and occupying defenders in a way Cunha had not managed. His reward came when he rose highest to meet a superb delivery from Luke Shaw, steering his header into the net and briefly restoring United’s lead.
For a moment, it looked like the solution was standing right in front of Carrick.
Then came the sting.
Deep into stoppage time, Ainsley Maitland-Niles smashed home a stunning equaliser, gutting the travelling United support and stripping away what could have been a much-needed, morale-boosting win.
The late blow did not just cost two points. It sharpened the focus on Carrick’s attacking choices.
With the Champions League campaign about to begin and Sabah up next on Thursday, Carrick now faces a blunt question: does he persist with Cunha in a role that doesn’t fit, or does he reshape his forward line around a more traditional No.9 like Sesko?
