“He has been their creative force:” former Leeds player names this Man United star as man of the match after heated 1-1 draw

Manchester United endured a difficult afternoon at Elland Road on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Leeds United. It was a hard-fought match by both sides, with Man United making the most of the few key players they had at their disposal, given how many stars are unavailable due to AFCON and injuries. Although United were unable to come away with maximum points, there were several massive silver linings that the team could take away from the clash. A heroic performance Manager Ruben Amorim would have been thrilled to find out that his key tactical decision paid off. He replaced defender Leny Yoro with forward Joshua Zirkzee, who went on to provide the assist that enabled Matheus Cunha to score United’s equaliser. Both players involved in the goal produced impressive displays, while the likes of Ayden Heaven and Manuel Ugarte appearing confident. Naturally, the pundits on duty took note of United’s impressive performance all things considered, singling out one player in particular as their standout performer. Cunha’s impact was everything Former Leeds United Women player Lucy Ward named Cunha as her player of the match, despite him being an opponent of her former club on the day. “My player of the match is Matheus Cunha, Ward declared on TNT Sports. “I’ve seen good teams wilt here at Elland Road but he has stood up right from the start. He’s had a bit more freedom since Zirkzee came on, but throughout he has been their creative force.” Cunha’s performance is all the more admirable given how resolute the hosts were. Even former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves admitted how good Leeds were, explaining: “That’s a great point for Leeds. It puts them in a great position on 22 points in 16th. They’re in a really good position. A point is probably fair enough.” Although United would be disappointed to drop two points given how they stack up compared to Leeds on paper, it was a positive result given the difficult predicament that United find themselves in, with so many crucial stars missing. With this performance, Cunha has shown just how valuable he can be when given the opportunity. Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.