Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White has voiced what many Premier League defenders have been thinking but haven’t said aloud Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha has turned into one of the league’s most dangerous and unpredictable players.
As Forest prepare to face United this Saturday, Gibbs-White spoke with striking honesty about the immense challenge awaiting his team.
“Right now, if there’s one player I don’t want to be up against, it’s him,” the Forest captain admitted. “He’s become an absolute machine under Ruben Amorim. Everyone in our squad is talking about him. We’ve watched the videos — and honestly, nobody’s found a way to stop him yet.”
Cunha’s rise at Old Trafford has been nothing short of remarkable. Once criticized for his inconsistent finishing and lack of composure in front of goal, the Brazilian forward has transformed himself into a complete attacking force.
Since Ruben Amorim took over as Manchester United manager, Cunha has evolved from a hard-working but often wasteful striker into a lethal, confident, and relentless goal threat.
His newfound sharpness and hunger have made him one of the Premier League’s standout performers this season.
Amorim’s influence has clearly been key. Sources inside the club suggest that the Portuguese coach has given Cunha a new sense of belief and purpose, telling him that he’s not just another player — he’s the engine that drives United’s attack.
That mindset has changed everything. Now, Cunha presses defenders with incredible intensity, holds up play with intelligence, and finishes with the kind of accuracy that was once missing from his game.
His movement off the ball has become more calculated, and his finishing looks deliberate rather than instinctive.
Defenders across the league have started to dread facing him. His combination of power, pace, and unpredictability has made him nearly impossible to contain.
Gibbs-White acknowledged that Forest have spent time analyzing Cunha’s recent performances — particularly how he tore through Aston Villa’s defense and forced errors from Arsenal’s usually composed backline. Despite that preparation, the Forest captain admits that his team still doesn’t have a clear solution.
“We’ll probably have to double up on him, try to cut off his service, and make sure he doesn’t get space to turn,” Gibbs-White explained.
“But even then, that might not be enough. He’s so confident right now everything he touches turns into a chance.”
Saturday’s match is shaping up to be more than just another Premier League fixture. It’s being viewed as a test of whether Nottingham Forest can find a way to contain the Amorim-inspired version of Matheus Cunha a forward who seems to grow stronger with every game.
As Gibbs-White concluded bluntly, “Cunha’s not playing for attention or headlines anymore. He’s playing to hurt teams — and that’s what makes him so dangerous.”
