Man United did not get off to a good start in their defeat to Arsenal but Matheus Cunha did with an enterprising debut.

Samuel joined the Manchester Evening News in 2014 and is the Chief Manchester United writer. He has broken exclusives on Jose Mourinho’s appointment, the re-signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking, the club’s interest in Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag, as well as numerous other transfers and team news. He has represented the MEN on the BBC, Sky News, Sky Sports News, TalkSport, Radio 5 Live, CNN and various other media outlets worldwide. To receive Samuel’s weekly newsletter for exclusive views and insight, subscribe at https://insideoldtrafford.substack.com/about

There is a Rolls-Royce outside The Midland, accompanied by a plaque that commemorates the meeting between Charles Stewart Rolls and Frederick Henry Royce at the Manchester hotel in 1904. Matheus Cunha is a Rolls-Royce of a footballer.

Cunha, voted United fans’ man of the match in the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, produced a performance that trumped goalscoring debutants at Old Trafford in recent years. Another Brazilian, Antony, claimed the glory in United’s last defeat of Arsenal in the Premier League three years ago yet he was as noticeably one-paced and one-dimensional on his first appearance as he was on his last.

In 90 goalless minutes, Cunha had four attempts at goal, with three on target. He forced the one genuinely good save from David Raya all afternoon in the first half. There were six attempted dribbles and only two of Cunha’s 16 passes were misplaced.

We should get used to the sound of plastic seats clattering whenever Cunha receives the ball. He is a talent that brings matchgoers to their feet. The racks of shirts bearing his name and number ’10’ in the Megastore will have to be replenished more regularly.

The other walkers in the top four were Virgil van Dijk, Murillo and Ezri Konsa, three centre backs. Cunha is a playmaker who often occupies the left-hand channel.

Yet he was playing for Wolves, who indulged his maverick nature. He was so pivotal they remunerated him midway through the season with a new contract and a release clause. However much Cunha walked and however often he crossed a line – as he did against Ipswich Town and Bournemouth to serve suspensions totalling six matches – he was well worth the expense.

A good forward picks and chooses his moments. Cunha had plenty, scoring 15 goals. “I played against him last season and he doesn’t stop,” the former Wolves defender Conor Coady said on Five Live.

“I spoke to the Wolves boys about Matheus Cunha and they didn’t mind a suspension here and there because, and it sounds really stupid, but it’s because of what he brings to games and how he could help win those games.”

Against Arsenal, Cunha clocked up 9.4 kilometres in 90 minutes whilst effectively playing out of position. Only Leny Yoro, Bruno Fernandes, Patrick Dorgu and Bryan Mbeumo ran more for United. One lung-bursting run from Cunha was recorded at 34.5km/h.

It was an all-action performance from Cunha

“Players like Cunha, like Bryan, in one moment can elevate the stadium,” Ruben Amorim said. “So, I think the most important thing [was] we were not boring.”

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It is not the most important thing but one cannot underestimate how vital it was that United were watchable on the opening weekend. Defeat is palatable for matchgoers if there has been determination and enterprise from the team, that they have gone down with a fight.

Too many of United’s performances in home losses last season were so drab that supporters were left catatonic, numb to the team’s plight. A United defeat was not always worthy of space on the newspapers’ back pages.

Cunha could have had a penalty late on

On Sunday, those at Old Trafford went through the ringer. Hardly anyone left before full-time. Cunha and Mbeumo were heavily responsible for that.

United fans chanted, “Cunha, Cunha, Cunha” when the playmaker was introduced to the crowd before kick-off against Fiorentina earlier this month. It was a familiar war cry, one to a tune usually reserved for Bruno Fernandes. Sooner or later, Fernandes will not be able to paper over the cracks and someone else will have to take up his mantle. Heads will turn to Cunha.

Cunha ended Wolves’s Boxing Day victory over United with the captain’s armband strapped to his bicep. He swung in the winner and was named the man of the match. On a foggy evening, United players had brain fog dealing with Cunha, who was fouled five times and elicited three yellow cards. He possesses that Fernandes factor.