Matheus Cunha finally opened his Manchester United account as the Red Devils secured a thrilling 4-2 victory over Brighton on Saturday, marking their third consecutive Premier League win under manager Ruben Amorim.
The Brazilian forward, who joined United from Wolves during the summer for £62.5 million ($83 million), ended an eight-game goal drought across all competitions by scoring his first goal for the club in the first half at Old Trafford.
Casemiro doubled United’s lead before the break, while Bryan Mbeumo added another in the second half. Brighton threatened a late comeback through Danny Welbeck and Charalampos Kostoulas, but Mbeumo sealed the win with a stoppage-time strike, his second of the match.
The victory continued United’s resurgence, following their impressive wins over Liverpool and Sunderland, and lifted them to fourth place in the Premier League table ahead of the weekend’s remaining fixtures.
United’s Resurgence Under Amorim
The recent 2-1 win over reigning champions Liverpool had given Amorim a much-needed confidence boost after a rocky start to his tenure. Saturday’s win extended United’s momentum and silenced critics who had questioned whether co-owner Jim Ratcliffe would remain patient after promising the manager a three-year rebuilding period.
Brighton, who had previously won three straight games at Old Trafford and six of their last eight meetings with United, found themselves unable to replicate that dominance despite showing late fight.
Playing without injured defender Harry Maguire, the hero of their Liverpool win, United nonetheless produced one of their most commanding displays of the season.
Bruno Fernandes, celebrating his 300th appearance for the club, nearly marked the milestone with a goal inside the first minute but dragged his header wide from close range.
Cunha Ends His Drought
United’s pressure paid off in the 24th minute when Fernandes and Casemiro combined to set up Cunha, who curled a precise shot into the far corner beyond Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. The strike was Cunha’s seventh goal from outside the box since the start of last season, more than any other Premier League player in all competitions.
Ten minutes later, Casemiro made it 2-0 after his deflected effort looped over Verbruggen following a touch from Yasin Ayari. Despite the slice of fortune, the Brazilian’s goal underlined United’s growing confidence.
United have never lost a Premier League match at Old Trafford when leading at half-time, and that record held strong.
Late Drama at Old Trafford
Mbeumo extended the advantage in the 61st minute with a calm finish after a contested buildup involving Luke Shaw. It was his fourth goal since joining from Brentford, continuing his fine form after scoring against Liverpool the previous weekend.
Brighton refused to go quietly, though. Former United forward Danny Welbeck curled in a sublime free-kick in the 74th minute to make it 3-1, before Charalampos Kostoulas headed home from a James Milner corner in stoppage time to set up a tense finale.
However, Mbeumo put the game beyond reach moments later, racing onto a Bruno Fernandes through ball and firing in off the crossbar to complete a dramatic 4-2 win.
Amorim’s men have now strung together three consecutive league victories, their longest run of the season, as they continue to climb the table and rebuild belief at Old Trafford.
What you should know
Matheus Cunha scored his first goal for Manchester United as the Red Devils defeated Brighton 4-2 at Old Trafford, marking their third straight Premier League win under Ruben Amorim.
Casemiro and Bryan Mbeumo also found the net, while United moved into fourth place, signaling a strong turnaround after a difficult start to the season.
