Cunha: I love being around Mbeumo!

The attacking pair have been instrumental in the Reds’ recent resurgence under Michael Carrick and have made a positive impact throughout their debut campaign at Old Trafford.

Mbeumo is our leading scorer with 10 goals in all competitions this season, while Cunha is joint-third in the team’s chart with six strikes - the same number as captain Bruno Fernandes.

Cunha and Mbeumo have come up against each other previously in the Premier League with their former clubs Wolves and Brentford respectively, but are enjoying getting to know each other as team-mates in M16.

When asked by Premier League Productions (PLP) what Bryan brings to the team, our no.10 said: “A lot of energy. What a lovely guy. I’m around him every day, he’s someone that is fun. I always play against him and we talk about the games that we played in the past, Brentford against Wolves. But to be together now and help United is something that when we arrive here, we feel like, wow, we can be a small part of the success of the team. It’s something that is a challenge that is everything to us.”

'WE KNOW HE CAN CREATE SOMETHING SPECIAL'

Bryan’s immediate influence was rewarded with our men’s team’s Player of the Month accolade in both August and October, as well as scooping the Premier League monthly prize in October for the first time in his career.

The Cameroon international’s versatility has also been demonstrated recently, in scoring crucial goals in victories over rivals Manchester City and Arsenal as the spearhead of the Reds attack - a position Cunha believes he is well-suited to.

“He's very intelligent, he's very clever,” Matheus said of Bryan. “So he can use his strength very, very good, like going to space, he shoots so well, so good. This is the kind of number nine we need to have. Of course, he's someone that helped us so much and it's a pleasure to play with him. He’s more than the position that he plays. Being around him in the pitch, we know he can create something special.”

'HE'S SUCH A GOOD GUY'

The question of whether Mbeumo is underrated is one that is often posed but, for Cunha, the picture is quite clear.

“For me, he's never an underrated player because I put him so high. He gives me the expectation that I know he can do. I know what I see, I know what he does and to be around him [Bryan] is special. He's such a good guy. So I can never say he is underrated.”

Although Cunha admits his team-mate is fairly quiet off the pitch, the fact our no.19 lets his football do the talking both on the training ground and on the pitch is helping the team to improve all the time.

“He's so shy, he doesn't speak much, but I speak French and I always speak with him,” Matheus told PLP. “He's the kind of guy that, like I say, he's special, I love to be around him and talking about the game, the life. Honestly, he finishes very well.

“Every training, after training, we stay to do finishing, so it's always a good competition to have him, Bruno [Fernandes], Ben [Sesko], Josh [Zirkzee], everyone around the team. I feel like we are starting to reach our level.”