During a special supporters’ event in the city on Friday night, it was evident that Cunha was the player most fans were eager to see in action the following day.
This enthusiasm comes as no surprise, considering the impressive reputation the agile playmaker built during his time before joining United. As the match settled into a rhythm after an initial cautious phase, his technical prowess, which he showcased at Wolves, quickly became apparent.
His first eye-catching moment came from a stepover on the left flank that drew a foul from Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu. Shortly thereafter, he garnered more applause for expertly maneuvering through a tight space between Ao Tanaka and Wilfried Gnonto, earning another free-kick in the process.
Our new number 10 primarily played in an attacking midfield role on the inside left of our formation, but he also ventured out wide and even made his way to the right side, where he battled against Leeds player Jaka Bijol to win a throw-in by the corner flag.
With the freedom to make an impact, it was no surprise that our Yorkshire rivals focused their attention on him in critical areas around the box. They may have breathed a sigh of relief when Chido Obi chose to shoot instead of passing the ball to Cunha towards the end of the half, as Matheus appeared poised to curl one into the far corner.
