Matheus Cunha has insisted that Ruben Amorim deserves some of the credit for Manchester United’s improvement since Michael Carrick took over as interim manager. United have won four and drawn one of their five games under Carrick, who replaced the sacked Amorim in mid-January. However, Cunha believes it is unfair to dismiss Amorim’s contributions.
The Brazilian, who joined United from Wolves last summer for £62.5 million, said his move would not have happened without Amorim. “I’ve always been very grateful for everything Ruben did,” Cunha told DAZN. “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.”
Cunha has thrived under Carrick, contributing goals and assists in wins over Manchester City, Arsenal, and Fulham. Carrick switched from Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation to a 4-2-3-1, but Cunha argued that tactical changes have been overplayed. “The numbers of football is very misleading,” he said. “We attack in various ways and end up defending with the formation that everyone says is Ruben’s.”
United are fourth in the Premier League, one point ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea, after a 1-1 draw with West Ham on February 10. They face Everton on Monday. Carrick, who is only under contract until the end of the season, has received backing from club legend Wayne Rooney, who said: “For me Carrick makes sense… He is a real calming influence.”
