Matheus Cunha was overjoyed to finally get off the mark for Manchester United as the wait for his first goal was starting to play on the summer signing’s mind.
The 26-year-old joined the Old Trafford side in a £62.5 million ($84m) deal from Wolves, where he scored 17 times in all competitions last term and equalled the most goals by a Brazilian in a Premier League campaign with 15.
Cunha has impressed in his first few months at United but had to wait until his ninth appearance before finally opening his account with a beautiful guided effort from the edge of the box in Saturday’s 4-2 win against Brighton.
“Yeah, finally,” the beaming Brazil international told Premier League Productions. “Wow. I worked so hard for this … I’m so happy.
“But of course I want a little bit more contribution and then today’s coming, [but] we win and then everything’s fine.”
When asked if not finding the net had played on his mind, he said: “Of course … when you play up front, [you have] to score goals.
“I have [to have] more contributions. But the last time I said this, if my participation is to help the team and then we start doing [well], I’ll be happy also.
“But of course with this goal, everyone will be around me to push me.
“The guys started to joke and then said, ‘wow, you can score!’. These things happen and everyone pushes me and I feel so happy to be here.”
Cunha opened the scoring at home to Brighton, with compatriot Casemiro scoring a deflected effort before fellow summer signing Bryan Mbeumo slammed home.
Danny Welbeck’s free-kick and a late Charalampos Kostoulas header made for a nervy ending at Old Trafford, where Mbeumo’s second of the day sealed a third straight win for Ruben Amorim’s side.
“Everyone has full confidence in Amorim,” Cunha said. “He is someone that pushes us forward.
“He is always very stressed until we start to win, and then he improves every day. Of course, he deserves this, Man United deserve this.
“This needs to be the normal for this club. I am so happy to be a part of this. Amazing day, I will remember this.”
United continue their Premier League campaign with a trip to Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest next weekend, when Brighton will host Leeds having travelled to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
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Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler said: “United pressed man to man so you have to do the small executions well and we weren’t at our highest level.
“In the end it is about execution and our execution wasn’t right, so we have to start in training taking every pass and every touch seriously. We have to improve.
“The character was good, the personality and the belief was there. We never gave up but the main thing is we made easy mistakes.”
