United View: Cunha strike stuns Arsenal

Two games into Michael Carrick’s interim management run, and the mood has completely flipped at Manchester United. 

A derby win, followed by a thrilling 3-2 win at the Emirates, has moved the Reds up to 4th in the league. It’s still early days, but can they keep this run going until the end of the season?

The Reds were full of confidence going into the match against Arsenal, following their win over Manchester City. But, after a strong opening half an hour from the home side and an own goal from Lisandro Martinez, it looked like a daunting task against the league leaders.

That was until Bryan Mbeumo pounced on Martin Zubimendi’s back pass to calmly round David Raya and slot home the equaliser. 

From there, United were the better side, taking the lead through a goal of the season contender from Patrick Dorgu.

They were pegged back late on by Mikel Merino from a corner that more closely resembled a busy tram than a penalty area. 

However, just two minutes and 58 seconds later, Matheus Cunha curled home the match-winner with a superb effort, sending the away end into delirium.

This was United’s first win at the Emirates since December 2017 and one that feels justified given how well they played in the reverse fixture when the Gunners won 1-0 at Old Trafford. On that day, United couldn’t take their chances, but on Sunday, they were extremely clinical.

Michael Carrick’s tenure is still in its infancy, and there will be big questions asked of his squad in the coming weeks, but in his short time in charge, he’s already bested the two best sides in the league. 

Although United haven’t been bad this season, perhaps his change in setup and approach is getting the best out of this squad.

There are 15 games left in the season, and if Carrick can secure Champions League football, it should eliminate a significant amount of the selection pool. 

If they opt to go for an elite-level manager with a track record of winning titles, then so be it, but why go for an up-and-coming manager when the current interim fits the bill?

That’s a discussion for later in the season, one that INEOS will have to address. And while they have made errors in their managerial appointments, one thing they do deserve credit for is their recruitment since coming in.

Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens have all significantly raised the level in the squad. Patrick Dorgu is starting to come into his own, and there have been promising signs from 22-year-old Benjamin Šeško. 

If they can replicate this with the midfield in the summer, United will have a seriously strong squad for next season.

They’ll have to replace Casemiro, who has been outstanding in the last two games, as he will be departing at the end of the campaign. At his best, he’s a pivotal figure on the pitch, and his experience and leadership will be greatly missed when he does depart.

February will see United face Fulham and Spurs at home, and make trips to West Ham and Everton. It’s interesting to see if they can replicate the levels shown against City and Arsenal, but that is the standard they have set. 

A good month could see the Reds settle comfortably into the top five, which is likely to secure a place in the Champions League.

Fans thought that the feeling of beating City couldn’t be topped, but that late winner from Cunha may have just trumped it. 

Hopefully, they can keep the good times going this Sunday when Marco Silva’s side visit Old Trafford.