Wolves’ 8/10 sensation could now be as important as Cunha

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ resurgence under Vitor Pereira continued as they secured a stunning 2-0 win over Manchester United on Boxing Day.

The result moves the Old Gold out of the Premier League relegation zone heading into 2025 and early signs look positive under the former Porto coach.

The Portuguese boss has earmarked Matheus Cunha as one of his most important players and the Brazilian was excellent against the Old Trafford side on Thursday evening.

If he continues this sort of form, there will be plenty of interest once the January window opens, no doubt about that.

Matheus Cunha’s game in numbers vs Man Utd

Cunha scored his tenth Premier League goal of the season against United, while also netting for the third match in a row.

The forward also succeeded with four of his six dribble attempts, made one key pass, took 93 touches and created a big chance as he caused chaos for the United defence throughout the clash.

He was even fouled five times, and it is clear that Wolves function better when Cunha is in the starting XI.

There was a player who was even better than Cunha against the Red Devils. Could he finally be the heir to Ruben Neves that the supporters have sought?

Andre’s display vs Manchester United

Cunha may have proved he is vital to Pereira’s attack against United, but Andre is now a key cog in the club’s midfield. The Molineux outfit has missed Neves since he left last summer, but it certainly appears that Andre could be the answer.

The midfielder dictated play wonderfully, completing 95% of his passes during the game, along with succeeding with 100% of his long balls.

Wolves vs Man Utd – Key stats
Stat	Highest Ranked
Accurate passes	Matt Doherty and Andre (59)
Key passes	Kobbie Mainoo (3)
Shots on target	Matheus Cuna (2)
Tackles	Toti Gomes (5)
Ground duels won	Matheus Cunha (13)
Via Sofascore

Defensively, Andre won seven of his eight ground duels, made four tackles and lost possession just six times. It was an excellent display and proves that the Brazilian can control games, which earmarks him as a successor to Neves.

His performance was praised by many, with GOAL giving him a match rating of 8/10, signifying how important and crucial his display was during the 2-0 win.

If Pereira can continue to get the best out of the midfielder, then he will be as important as Cunha over the next few months, especially with the club fighting to avoid relegation from the top flight.

Following the game, talent scout Jacek Kulig even lauded Andre, saying it was “a superb performance by the 23-year-old Wolves midfielder” and it appears as though his display is gaining rave reviews from all over.

Going forward, Cunha and Andre could well be the two most important players under Pereira, and he is certainly bringing the best out of both of them, despite only being in charge for a short period of time.

Early indications suggest that Wolves have appointed the right manager in Pereira. After his first two results, the Old Gold look like a team revitalised.