Matheus Cunha returns to training after missing Brentford with hip issue

Manchester United’s injury scare around Matheus Cunha looks like it may have passed quickly. The Brazil forward was back in group training on Thursday, April 30, just a few days after a sore hip flexor kept him out of the 2-1 win over Brentford. That does not guarantee a start against Liverpool on Sunday, but it puts him back in the conversation at exactly the right moment. And for a team trying to finish the job in the top-four race, that is a real boost. (manutd.com) ### Why was Cunha missing? He was left out of the squad for Brentford because of a hip flexor problem. Michael Carrick had already framed it as an issue that needed managing rather than some long-term setback, and the speed of Cunha’s return to training fits that read. Missing one match and then getting back with the group three days later is usually the difference between a scare and an actual absence. (sports.yahoo.com) ### What changed on Thursday? The simple thing — he trained. United published images and an update from Carrington showing Cunha back with the squad as preparations began for Liverpool at Old Trafford. That matters because training return is the first real checkpoint. A player can be “close” all week, but once he is in full group work, selection becomes a live possibility instead of just manager optimism. (manutd.com) ### What happened without him? United still got the win over Brentford, which is the big thing. Casemiro scored first, Benjamin Sesko added the second before halftime, and Mathias Jensen pulled one back late for Brentford. So the attack functioned, but the game also showed why another high-level forw(manutd.com)strike. (manutd.com) ### Why is Cunha such a useful return? Because he gives Carrick another way to build the front line. Cunha is not just a body coming back. He can play as a central attacker, drop into pockets, carry the ball, and connect midfield to the forwards ahead of him. Basically, he gives United more than one version of the same mat(manutd.com)ed, he gives them another runner and ball-carrier in transition. That flexibility is the real value here. (manutd.com) ### Does this mean he starts? Not necessarily. Returning to training and being ready for 90 minutes are not the same thing. Carrick now has options — start him, use him from the bench, or hold him back if the medical staff think the risk of aggravation is still there. Hip flexor issues are tricky in (manutd.com)eels fine. That last part is an inference from the injury type, but it explains why availability does not always equal immediate recall. (manutd.com) ### Why does the Liverpool game raise the stakes? Because this is the kind of match that can reshape the run-in fast. United’s win over Brentford moved them closer to Champions League qualification, and Liverpool are the sort of opponent who force you to use your best attackers if they are available. (manutd.com)maller, and the tactical demands are heavier. (manutd.com) ### So what should fans read into this? Read it as a timely boost, not a full all-clear. The bad version of this story was a multi-week absence right before a huge home match. Turns out it looks more like a brief interruption. Cunha trained on April 30, he missed only the Brentford game, and he now has a realistic chance o(manutd.com)e hoped for once he dropped out on Monday. (manutd.com)