The summer signing of Manchester United Matheus Cunha was injured and substituted in the first half against Burnley at Old Trafford, which created a shock in the stadium. The Brazilian came up as he pursued a through ball at the 28th minute. He grabbed his hamstring at once, and pointed to the bench, and dropped to the floor, conscious that something had gone a miss.
Cunha was taken off the field on a stretcher and left the field walking under his own accord, being substituted by Joshua Zirkzee in the 31st minute. So far he had been as active as possible, making one opportunity, and challenging the goalkeeper with a shot on goal.
Ruben Amorim's reaction says it all when Matheus Cunha went down injured 🤕 pic.twitter.com/UvJNAjQKpX
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) August 30, 2025
A Brutal Week for Matheus Cunha
This setback comes at the worst possible time for the 26-year-old. Earlier in the week, he missed the decisive penalty in United’s shock Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby, a fourth-division side. That result was already described as one of the club’s most humiliating nights. Now, just days later, Cunha faces the frustration of being sidelined, leaving fans worried about his future impact.
Signed from Wolves for £62.5 million this summer, Cunha had started all four of United’s matches under Ruben Amorim. While still searching for his first goal or assist, his pace and energy had already made him a fan favourite, particularly after his impressive display against Arsenal. This injury threatens to interrupt the momentum he was beginning to build.
United’s Plans in Jeopardy
The injury could not come at a worse time for Ruben Amorim. With the Manchester derby against City set for September 14, Cunha’s availability is now in serious doubt. He could also miss key fixtures against Chelsea and Brentford, and possibly even the clash with Liverpool on October 19. For a side still adjusting under their new manager, losing a record signing is a massive blow.
United’s medical team will run scans to confirm the severity of the hamstring damage. Early signs suggest several weeks out, though a clearer picture will only emerge after assessment. Amorim, already short on options, now faces the challenge of reshaping his attack without one of his most important players.
Brazil Left Short-Handed
The shock goes beyond Manchester. Brazil had called Cunha in to play against Chile and Bolivia in their world cup qualifiers. His injury virtually disqualifies him and coach Carlo Ancelotti is left scrambling to find someone to replace him. Brazil already lost Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, who rest and Neymar is injured. Ancelotti has already been forced to change his squad several times, and the injury of Cunha is another name on the list of absent players.
Small Glimpse of Positives
To United fans, there was at least one good news. Noussair Mazraoui also came back to the team after overcoming his own hamstring issue and provided Amorim with a bit of depth on defence. Lisandro Martinez is the only other first-team player unavailable, but the situation of Cunha has now become the most urgent.
The coming days will reveal the true scale of the damage, but the early signs are worrying. For a player who had just begun to win supporters with his energy, this injury feels like a cruel twist of fate. United’s season, still in its opening weeks, has already been handed its first major test.
Sagnik Banerjee 
Vibhor Gautam