Paul Scholes Warns Carrick About Cunha's Role Dilemma
Paul Scholes has sounded the alarm for Michael Carrick, warning that Manchester United’s manager may have a serious problem on his hands with Matheus Cunha.
The Brazilian endured a torrid afternoon in Sunday’s goalless draw with Everton, standing out for all the wrong reasons in a United side that already looked short of ideas.
From overhit passes to heavy touches, from poor movement to missed chances, Cunha’s display resembled a highlight reel of errors. Too many things went wrong, too often.
A player without a position
That was the concern last season. It still is now.
Once again, Cunha drifted through the game without a clearly defined role. During the previous campaign, Carrick largely used him off the left, where his energy and direct running brought flashes of real promise.
Marcus Rashford’s return has changed that picture. Carrick clearly prefers Rashford in that wide role, which has pushed Cunha into the middle, often as a sort of false nine. At times, Bruno Fernandes has stepped into that central attacking role instead, with Cunha dropping deeper into the No 10 slot.
The end result? A player who looks lost.
The spark, swagger and confidence that marked his first season at Old Trafford have faded. He looks short of inspiration, short of rhythm and, perhaps, still short of full fitness. Scholes, watching on, saw more than just an off-day. He saw a tactical headache.
Scholes: ‘What is Cunha?’
Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, the former United midfielder didn’t hide his frustration at the lack of a proper focal point.
"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 verdict cut to the heart of the issue. Carrick has tried to fit Cunha into a central striking role, but Scholes’ comments underline the growing sense that the Brazilian simply doesn’t suit that job.
Sesko shows the contrast
The difference was immediate when Benjamin Sesko came off the bench at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Slovenian gave United what they had been missing: presence. He occupied defenders, attacked crosses and, crucially, took his chance. Rising highest, Sesko powered in a superb Luke Shaw delivery to restore United’s lead, if only briefly.
For a moment, it looked like the classic away win: a late goal, a hard-fought edge, a sense of control. Then Ainsley Maitland-Niles shattered that illusion with a stoppage-time strike that silenced the travelling fans and wiped out Sesko’s impact on the scoreboard.
The contrast remained, though. Sesko looked like a centre forward. Cunha had not.
A big call before Europe
Carrick now faces a decision he can’t dodge.
United open their Champions League campaign against Sabah on Thursday, and the team sheet will tell its own story. Does he persist with Cunha in a role that doesn’t suit him, hoping form and fitness finally click? Or does Sesko’s cameo force a rethink of the attacking hierarchy?
Scholes has made his view clear. The question now is whether Carrick agrees — and how long he can afford to wait for an answer.
