Manchester United have made a big decision on this injury-prone star

Manchester United caught in Matheus Cunha World Cup rest row as club fire back

Manchester United are currently dealing with a messy situation regarding Matheus Cunha‘s fitness, as clashing reports emerge from Brazil and Old Trafford at the same time. ESPN Brasil claimed that United reached a deal with the Brazilian Football Confederation to sit the forward out for the final three Premier League games, away at Sunderland, home to Nottingham Forest, and the trip to Brighton.

The idea was reportedly to manage a nagging adductor injury, with both sides wanting him 100% for the World Cup instead of risking a worse setback in games that don’t change much for the club. With Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti already facing a massive injury crisis, losing Cunha to a full-blown muscle tear would be a disaster for the Seleção right before the tournament.

However, just as the rumours started to pick up steam, the denials came thick and fast. Manchester United flatly rejected the reports, maintaining that no talks ever happened with the CBF and that Cunha remains a key part of the squad for the run-in. Interim boss Michael Carrick is still pushing for a third-place finish, which carries a massive £50 million prize money swing.

Brazil’s camp and Cunha’s own PR team also shot down the claims. To top it off, Cunha himself shared a laughing emoji on Instagram over a photo of him in a United kit, clearly laughing off the speculation. Since joining for £62.5 million from Wolves last summer, Matheus Cunha has bagged nine league goals and become one of the league’s most dangerous forwards, playing a huge part in United locking down Champions League football for next year.

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Does resting Cunha now actually hurt Manchester United or help them long-term?

Now that Manchester United have already secured their Champions League spot, Michael Carrick has a bit of luxury that most managers don’t get this late in the year. The big question is whether sitting Cunha for these final games actually has any downside. Honestly, it doesn’t. If anything, it’s the smarter play to protect a guy who is vital for the 2026/27 Champions League campaign rather than burning him out in three dead-rubber matches.

That adductor issue is a real worry and pretty much the only red flag in his game. While his directness and ability to beat the press make him a nightmare for defenders, his injury history shows he needs to be handled with care. Having a fully fit, sharp Cunha ready for pre-season is worth way more than watching a hobbled version of him struggle through a game at Brighton. Manchester United should probably view this as a common-sense move rather than a controversy.

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