Matheus Cunha showed what we need on Man Utd debut – Ruben Amorim

By Simon Peach, PA Chief Football Writer

Ruben Amorim says summer signing Matheus Cunha showed what Manchester United need as they started pre-season with a 0-0 draw against promoted Leeds in Sweden.

Seven weeks after bringing the curtain down on their post-season trip to Malaysia and Hong Kong, the Red Devils stepped up their preparations for the new campaign at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm.

Amorim’s men and rivals Leeds fought out a scoreless draw, with both sides making wholesale changes midway through a friendly that saw Cunha make his first appearance since his £62.5million switch from Wolves.

Head coach Amorim said: “It was a pre-season game. I think the distance between the sectors was really big sometimes.

“We suffered a little bit when we tried to press high. They kicked the ball, win the second ball and they were dangerous in that moment.

“We have a lack of pace, especially in the middle of the park and you can feel that it’s hard to bring the ball, but we created chances.

“I think Matheus Cunha showed what we need – that is the player when he receives the ball between the lines can be really aggressive in direction of the opponent.

“We watched that during last season in a different team, so we expect the same thing.

“Of course, you can see that the connection between him and Bruno (Fernandes) is still not there, but it’s going to be a good connection.”

Cunha played the first half in Sweden, as did fellow new boy Diego Leon.

The 18-year-old left wing-back recently linked up with the Red Devils having agreed to move to Old Trafford from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno in January.

“We have to understand that the kid came from Paraguay and it’s the second week in Manchester United,” Amorim told MUTV. “He did really well.

“He’s learning things, he’s powerful. He’s going to be a very good player.”

Amorim felt Leeds provided “a good test” but knows his side have a “lot to do” as they prepare to face three more Premier League opponents in the United States.

They will take on West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton on their pre-season tour, which they jet out to on Tuesday.

“It’s really important,” Amorim said of the time away in America. “I think we need to create that bond between everybody – not just them, but also the staff.

“All the changes are stopping, so we need to leave that as a group. We have a lot to improve – the speed of the game, all the details we are going to improve.

“I felt the environment is really good. Of course sometimes we are going to struggle, but what I feel since the first moment is we are going to struggle but we are (going to) struggle together, and that is the beginning of everything.

“Then we have to put the quality, because this club is not just about the effort. It’s the quality and you have to win games.”