Two Manchester United stars showcased elite professionalism and hunger in the build-up to last weekend’s thrilling Anfield clash against Liverpool.
The Athletic have revealed that Matheus Cunha and Casemiro reported to Carrington a day ahead of schedule last week.
Both players had just returned from a long-haul trip to Japan for Brazil’s international fixtures and had been officially granted rest until Friday.
However, they came in on Thursday for individual recovery work and were named in the starting XI on matchday.
Cunha and Casemiro played pivotal roles in the 2-1 victory over Liverpool, securing United’s first back-to-back wins under manager Ruben Amorim.
Cunha was surprisingly given the role of leading the attack, with Benjamin Sesko dropped to the bench for tactical reasons.
The selection looked baffling when the team sheet was first released.
After 90 minutes of football, Amorim’s decision was vindicated.
Cunha did not add much creativity, but he showed exemplary fight and desire to take his side over the line.
After Cody Gakpo equalised in the second half, Anfield roared back to life and United looked on the brink of crumbling under pressure.
Cunha refused to let that happen. He dragged his teammates up the pitch, won smart fouls in advanced areas, and used his physicality to slow the tempo when it mattered most.
This kind of maturity and street-smart edge is something United have sorely missed in recent seasons.
Pundits have been critical of Casemiro but he has had a very stable start to the 2025-26 campaign.
At 33, he is no longer the pressing monster fans might hope for, and even Amorim recognises that.
The Brazilian brings positional discipline and game intelligence that Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte currently lack.
When Amorim first arrived at Old Trafford, Casemiro found himself frozen out, even ranked below academy youngster Toby Collyer in the pecking order.
The former Real Madrid star worked hard in training sessions and improved his physique.
His transformation has been nothing short of remarkable, earning Amorim’s trust and a well-deserved return to the heart of United’s midfield.
The United youngsters must take note of the hard work shown by the duo and draw inspiration from it.
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Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .
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