Manchester United and Nottingham Forest played out a pulsating 2–2 draw in the Premier League on Saturday.
Casemiro handed United an early advantage, but the hosts roared back through quickfire goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolo Savona.
A moment of magic from Amad Diallo rescued a point for the Red Devils late in the game.
While Casemiro and Diallo grabbed the headlines, Matheus Cunha quietly produced another tireless and intelligent display.
Cunha scored his first Man United goal against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
He was unable to add his name to the scoresheet on Saturday but showed outstanding qualities that should not be ignored.
Forest struggled to contain him, resorting to tactical fouls as Cunha was brought down five times, more than any other player on the pitch.
The Brazil international is quickly becoming a fan favourite among the United faithful, courtesy of his willingness to fight for the ball.
He won an incredible 11 duels, the most by any player on the pitch.
Cunha has also evolved tactically in recent weeks, adapting his role to help United stabilise their midfield.
The 26-year-old has often dropped deep to close down passing lanes and regularly tracks his marker.
His defensive contributions of seven ball recoveries, four clearances and one tackle are clear evidence of the hard work he is willing to put in.
Cunha was also slick with his ball distribution, completing 91% of his passes.
He played three passes into the final third and created four chances.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man also tested Matz Sels with an effort but could not generate enough power to beat the Forest goalkeeper.
The £52 million-rated forward showed great aggression and intent in the final 10 minutes, driving United forward in search of a late winner.
United fans will hope Cunha continues to refine his creativity in the coming weeks to help turn draws into victories.
If he can become as creative as Bryan Mbeumo in the final third, while maintaining his combative edge, Amorim may have the complete modern forward on his hands.
Stats from Fotmob.com
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Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .
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