Cunha is expected to play against Manchester City! Manchester United plagued by injury curse, Wolves star goes from a year and a half injury-free to immediate trouble

During the Premier League clash last Saturday where Manchester United beat Burnley 3-2, £62.5 million signing Matheus Cunha exited the game after only 31 minutes because of an injury. The 26-year-old Brazilian striker is thought to have a hamstring injury, which caused him to be left out of Brazil’s international squad for the upcoming fixtures.

At first, English media worried that Cunha would be out for a long time, missing crucial games against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool. However, a source at Carrington revealed this week that preliminary scans show the injury of the new summer signing is not as serious as initially feared.

Hamstring injuries are categorized into three grades based on severity: grade one, two, or three. Grade one injuries typically require only two to four weeks for recovery, and Manchester United hopes Cunha’s injury is the mildest type, meaning he would only need about two weeks’ rest. Because of the international break, this would allow the "Wolf King" to miss no matches.

Manchester United’s next Premier League match is on September 14th away at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City. If Cunha is sidelined for just two weeks, he could return in time for the Manchester derby. Reportedly, Cunha stayed at Carrington this week doing light upper-body fitness training, a common rehab routine for hamstring injuries since the lower body must rest and only the upper body can be exercised.

However, there is currently no official confirmation on the exact extent or type of Cunha’s injury, but Cunha himself thanked Manchester United fans on social media for their messages and promised he will "be back soon." This further supports that his injury is less severe than initially expected.

Cunha shared several photos of his injury and Manchester United celebrating their victory at Old Trafford, commenting: "What an incredible atmosphere, it’s amazing to be here. I’ll be back soon, always with joy and gratitude. Thanks for all the messages."

Although Cunha has yet to score or assist this season, his performances have been impressive, especially his sharp dribbling, dispelling earlier concerns about him being a "walk-around player." He plays with great energy. Club legend Roy Keane also praised him, saying: "I think Cunha is excellent. He got injured last weekend, hope it’s not serious. He’s got a good presence and looks like a traditional Manchester United player who can beat defenders. Mbemo will also do well, I like him. As for Shesko, he hasn’t played much yet, so it’s too early to judge."

Ruben Amorim surely hopes Cunha recovers quickly as Manchester United faces important fixtures ahead. After the international break, the Red Devils will not only face Manchester City but also host Chelsea at Old Trafford a week later. If Cunha can’t play in the upcoming matches, UK media predict Shesko or Cody Meno might replace him in the starting lineup.

But Manchester United’s manager surely prays the team’s injury curse doesn’t strike again. Take Cunha as an example: he played a full season injury-free at Wolves last year but got injured after only four appearances at United. Records show Cunha’s last injury was in February 2024 while at Wolves, which was his only injury there. The "Wolf King" last got injured in September 2022 during his time at Atlético Madrid.

However, Cunha’s last injury was also a hamstring strain, causing him to miss 49 days between February and March 2024 and sidelining him for seven matches.