Arsenal saw what they could’ve had from Matheus Cunha as he scored a sensational match-winner for Manchester United at the Emirates.
In the January 2025 transfer window, Arsenal showed interest in signing Cunha from Wolves, but the forward later signed for United in the summer.
On matchday 23 of the 2025/26 season, it was the Brazilian who broke hearts at the Emirates, as he muted Arsenal’s equaliser celebrations just three minutes after the score was levelled.
Cunha’s daring effort on goal paid off in a move that Arsenal fans would’ve loved to see their forwards produce, but the United man’s thought behind the goal was actually because of one of Mikel Arteta’s players.
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Matheus Cunha says Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes is so good
Arsenal’s defending was questioned for the first time this season, as bizarrely, even William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes struggled.
Speaking to ESPN after his match-winner, Cunha admitted that he took his shot the way he did because of Gabriel.
“When I control the ball, I see the defence moving back a little, and that gives me more space to control it. I see Gabriel coming right away, and I know how good Gabriel is,” Cunha said.
“We play together on the national team, so I knew he would try everything to block the shot, so the shot had to be perfect.”
Cunha’s praise of the Arsenal defender was bittersweet, as while acknowledging Gabriel’s quality, he explained how he knew how to get the better of his Brazilian teammate.
Cunha was waiting for revenge on Gabriel
Cunha might’ve applauded Gabriel’s quality after the match, perhaps because he ended a lengthy wait to get the better of his international teammate.
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In five matches against Gabriel’s Arsenal, Cunha had lost his previous four to the Gunners, but finally, on matchday 23, he experienced being on the winning side.
Gabriel had Cunha thinking, and perhaps, the United forward had Arteta thinking, as the Arsenal manager could’ve signed him last year.
Arteta opted against signing Cunha for several reasons, and it has to be said, when United visited North London, the Brazil international showed the Gunners what their attack is missing.
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