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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

Why Matheus Cunha is missing from Manchester United squad against Everton today

Manchester United have been dealt a huge blow for their Premier League showdown against Everton.

Matheus Cunha had been expected to feature in Monday night’s game at Old Trafford, but the Brazilian summer signing is not in the matchday squad at all.

The reason for Cunha’s absence is due to suffering a minor knock during a training session at Carrington on Saturday.

"It was a knock in the training," Ruben Amorim told Sky Sports. "I don't know how long he is going to stay out. I think it's nothing serious but we cannot risk players.

"We have to show everybody, when you are not 100 per cent, we have a different player to cope with the demands of the game."

Amorim, who is also without Benjamin Sesko, has selected Joshua Zirkzee to lead the line for Man United against Everton - thus handing the Dutchman his first start of the season.

"I just want to see Josh playing well, with the quality he has," Amorim added.

"We have a problem with Ben [Sesko] and we have a problem with Cunha. He's working in that position.

"If you look at our team, I think Josh has, more or less, the same characteristics as Cunha in that position. We want to maintain what we worked with during the week and he is ready."

Also returning to the Man Utd squad on Monday night are Kobbie Mainoo and notably Lisandro Martinez for the first time since February.

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