Former Manchester United star Nicky Butt has explained why he thinks Michael Carrick has been “killing” Matheus Cunha this season.
Carrick and Man Utd are under scrutiny heading into the international break because the Red Devils only have five points from their opening five Premier League games this season.
Club legend Carrick was named Man Utd permanent boss before the end of last season after surpassing expectations as caretaker, having sealed Champions League qualification by finishing third in the Premier League.
In the summer, Man Utd spent around £150m to sign Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos to strengthen their midfield, but they are arguably short in other positions after club chiefs decided against making any more marquee signings.
This means they are short of No.9 options, with Carrick often favouring Cunha over Benjamin Sesko to lead the line at the start of this season.
However, Butt has argued that Cunha is much better playing on the flank, while it “kills him” when he is up front.
“Paying Cunha as a nine kills him,” Butt said on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast.
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“He’s nowhere near the player he is off the side. We haven’t got a No.9 other than Sesko other than Zirkzee, but he’s been going, staying, going, staying. And when he does come on, he doesn’t look anywhere near a Manchester United No.9.
‘Midfield we have good footballers but can’t dominate a game.
“The back four look an average back four. The right-back, is he going to get you into the top two, top three? No.
“Harry is past his best. Martinez is a good footballer but he’s not a dominant centre back. We know with Luke he plays three or four games, gets an injury then he’s back in.’”
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“How do you injure your shin?”
Butt and podcast co-host Paul Scholes have also mocked Sesko after it emerged that he will not feature for Slovenia during the international break after picking up a shin injury.
“The back four is a massive problem but for me the biggest problem is the no9. How can Man United have one centre forward? Who is injured, with what, a shin injury?” Butt added.
Scholes said: “How do you injure your shin? Ain’t that a broken leg? Can’t you just put your shinpads on?”
Butt added: “You either break your shin, or you play. Put your shinpads on or you padding on, I don’t quite get it. Without knowing what it is, it is hard to discuss it.”
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