Paul Scholes Warns Carrick Over Matheus Cunha Dilemma

Paul Scholes has sounded the alarm for Michael Carrick. In his eyes, Manchester United have a glaring problem right at the top of the pitch – and its name is Matheus Cunha.

Cunha struggles as United labour at Everton

United’s stalemate with Everton on Sunday was drab enough, but Cunha’s display dragged it further into the mire. While several players fell short, the Brazilian stood out for all the wrong reasons.

Overhit passes. Heavy touches. Drifting into the wrong spaces. Big chances spurned. His afternoon became a running list of what can go wrong for a forward short of rhythm and conviction.

The deeper issue? He doesn’t look like he belongs to any one role in this team.

Last season, Carrick largely used Cunha off the left, where his movement and energy gave United a different edge. Marcus Rashford’s return has ripped that script up. Carrick clearly wants Rashford wide, so Cunha has been shunted elsewhere – often as a makeshift central striker, sometimes dropping into pockets as a false nine, and at other moments sliding into a No.10 zone while Bruno Fernandes takes up the advanced role.

The result is a player who looks lost. The swagger and spark of his first campaign at Old Trafford have faded into uncertainty. He is still building fitness, still in the early weeks of the season, but the confusion over his role is starting to bite.

Scholes can see it. And he thinks Carrick has a real dilemma.

Scholes: “What is Cunha?”

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, the former United midfielder didn’t hold back.

"It's very difficult to watch a Man United team without a centre forward," Scholes said.

"Now, what Cunha is, I don't really know what Cunha is, what is he a number 10 or a wide player.

"But he's definitely not a number nine. And watching the United team without a number nine, it's a struggle."

That was the crux of it. For Scholes, United are trying to play without a natural focal point, and Cunha is paying the price for being asked to fill a role that doesn’t suit him.

Sesko shows the contrast

When Benjamin Sesko came on at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the contrast was stark. United suddenly had a reference point.

The Slovenian led the line, attacked the box and did what centre forwards are supposed to do. He climbed highest to meet a superb Luke Shaw cross and powered his header in, restoring United’s lead and briefly lifting the away end.

Then came the sting. Deep into stoppage time, Ainsley Maitland-Niles produced a stunning strike to crush United’s hopes and silence their travelling support. The late blow only sharpened the focus on what had gone before: United looked more coherent with a recognised striker on the pitch.

A selection call looming

All of this leaves Carrick with a decision he can’t dodge much longer. Does he persist with Cunha in a role that doesn’t suit him, or does he lean into Sesko as his No.9 and rethink where – or whether – Cunha fits?

United’s Champions League opener against Sabah on Thursday will offer the first real clue. Carrick’s team sheet might tell us as much about Cunha’s future as it does about United’s ambitions this season.