Matheus Cunha had a message for Ruben Amorim(Image: Catherine Ivill – AMA, Getty Images)
Matheus Cunha believes the sacked Ruben Amorim deserves some of the praise for Manchester United’s uptick in form. Under interim manager Michael Carrick, United have secured four victories and one draw from their last five fixtures.
Before the former midfielder returned to the club for a second temporary spell, United had drawn 1-1 with Leeds United at Elland Road and 1-1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford. Amorim had also hit out at members of the United board after the draw at Elland Road, insisting he was the manager, rather than the head coach of the club.
In total, he claimed just 24 wins from his 63 matches across 14 months. However, United were in sixth position at the time of Amorim’s exit.
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Cunha, who was brought to the club from Wolves by Amorim, believes the ex-United boss deserves some praise for his contributions. He also insisted his £62.5million transfer from the Midlanders last summer wouldn’t have materialised without Amorim at the helm.
“I’ve always been very grateful for everything Ruben did,” Cunha told DAZN. “I think it’s very easy, when things change, to see the past as only problems, but it’s quite the opposite.
“He was an incredible person. Many new players came because of him, so I think he also plays a big part in the success we are having now.”
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The 26-year-old is flourishing under Carrick’s stewardship. He recorded an assist in the triumph over Manchester City and also scored goals in wins against Arsenal and Fulham. However, he believes the shift in tactics from Amorim to Carrick has been exaggerated as a reason behind United’s revival.
“The pressure for that tactic to work was so great that we forgot how simple the overall context was and focused too much on the negative,” Cunha explained. “But, to be very honest, I think the numbers of football is very misleading. We attack in various ways and end up defending with the formation that everyone says is Ruben’s.”
United sit fourth in the Premier League, one point ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea. They have benefited from an extended break since Benjamin Sesko salvaged a point with a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw at West Ham on February 10 and now travel to Everton on Monday.
Carrick’s contract as interim manager only extends until the end of the season, at which point United will name a permanent successor to Amorim. However, the former midfielder is making a compelling case for himself, with Wayne Rooney among his supporters.
The United icon stated on The Overlap’s Fan Debate: “We’ve been there and tried different managers – (Jose) Mourinho, (Louis) van Gaal, (Erik) ten Hag and (Ruben) Amorim – and for me Carrick makes sense.
“Not because we’ve played together and we’re friends, but because he is a real calming influence. Having someone there who knows the club and cares for the club makes a big difference. Michael is managing the whole squad and managing them well.”
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