Daniel Sturridge single out Standout Performer in United’s Defeat to Arsenal

Daniel Sturridge Praises Cunha for his standout performance against Arsenal, calling him Manchester United’s most exciting prospect this season.

Former England striker Daniel Sturridge praises Manchester United’s new signing Matheus Cunha as the “best player on the pitch” during United’s narrow 1-0 loss to Arsenal at Old Trafford on the opening day of the Premier League season.

Despite United’s defeat, Sturridge was effusive in his praise for Cunha, who joined the Red Devils in the summer. Speaking on Sky Sports, Sturridge said:

“I thought Cunha lit the place up today. He was Man United’s best player and for me, maybe the best player on the pitch. What he will bring is something different to United—they haven’t had someone like him. He will get fans on the edge of their seat. He’s going to be a special player for the team”.

Cunha’s dynamic movement and attacking flair were evident throughout the match, even though he didn’t find the back of the net. His performance offered a glimmer of hope for United fans after a dismal 15th-place finish last season.

The match itself saw Arsenal claim victory through a 13th-minute goal from Riccardo Calafiori, who capitalized on a defensive lapse from United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir. While Arsenal secured all three points, the game was far from one-sided. United showed signs of improvement, particularly through their new attacking duo—Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

Roy Keane, another pundit on the panel, acknowledged the progress but remained critical of United’s overall performance:

“The expectations at United now are so low, that even Gary Neville said on commentary, everyone is OK with a 1-0 defeat. They’ve got to do better”.

United manager Ruben Amorim agreed with Sturridge, saying his team “deserved more” and were “the better team” on the day. He praised Cunha and Mbeumo for their contributions and emphasized the need to improve on set-piece defending.

Manchester United will look to bounce back and secure their first points of the season when they travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham next Sunday.

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