Gary Neville was very encouraged by Manchester United’s win over Brighton on Saturday and had special praise for three Red Devils stars after the rousing victory.
Ruben Amorim’s side made it three wins on the spin by beating the Seagulls 4-2 on Saturday evening at Old Trafford.
The win saw Manchester United end the weekend sixth in the table and things are looking far more positive than they were just last month when there was fierce criticism after defeat at Brentford.
Neville has hailed the impact of three summer signings on Manchester United’s improvement, starting with two forwards.
Matheus Cunha opened the scoring against Brighton and Bryan Mbeumo scored twice, with Casemiro netting the other goal on Saturday.
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The Brazil and Cameroon internationals have really caught Neville’s attention and he feels they are exhibit the traits of what he feels a Manchester United forward should be.
‘The big thing for United is that Cunha and Mbeumo are players who I love watching in a red shirt,’ he said on The Gary Neville Podcast.
‘Are they the best players that will ever wear a red shirt? Are they the best forwards that Manchester United have ever had? That’s still to be seen but what I like about them is their hunger, their courage to take the ball.
‘They’re positive. They do everything, I think, that a Manchester United forward should do.
‘They’ll make mistakes, they’ll give goals away, it’s Cunha’s first goal of the season so he’s missed a lot of chances, but what I can see is the intent is there to do the right thing every single time.
‘Get on the ball, make runs in behind, take people on, be a threat. Make sure that if you lose it five times you go and get it a sixth time. All those things that I’ve heard all my life on the values of a forward at United.
‘Go and try and win your team the game, shoot from anywhere. Whatever it is you think you can see, go and do it. I just think that they do really demonstrate that.’
‘That’s the toughest job you can possibly have’
Also catching Neville’s eye has been new goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who has quickly become a hit with fans after taking the gloves from Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir.
‘Those two up front…and by the way the goalkeeper looks a lot more solid and stable than the other two,’ said the former defender.
‘I like goalkeepers who have got composure to them, who have got a relaxed manner. You can see it in Lammens, he’s someone that looks composed and that’s not easy. I’ve said it before, that’s the toughest job you can possibly have, to be United goalkeeper.’
Neville did not have the same praise for Benjamin Sesko as he did for Mbeumo and Cunha, but feels the whole team should be looking to be built around those two, and that can be a recipe for success.
‘If you can have those two up top that are free to go and win you the game and the other seven or eight can just contribute in and around it and provide a support system, I think United will have a very good season,’ he said.
Amorim on ‘special’ Cunha
Speaking ahead of the Brighton game, Amorim talked up the talents of Cunha, telling MUTV: ‘He brings something that is hard for us to point [at], it’s not just the ability and the talent.
‘He has something that he is really comfortable playing in this kind of environment. He can take our team forward.
‘He needs to improve a lot of things, especially defending, but he has something special and he is a really important player for us.
‘He can play in different positions, so I expect the same in the next game because, in our club, it’s really important to show it in every week.’
