Manchester United: Matheus Cunha delivers new injury update before City derby clash | OneFootball

Reports suggest there is optimism at Old Trafford that Brazilian will be fit for Etihad Stadium trip next weekend

Matheus Cunha has provided something of a cryptic new injury update ahead of Manchester United’s looming derby clash with Manchester City.

The Red Devils are sweating on the fitness of their £62.5million summer signing for next weekend’s showdown at the Etihad Stadium after he limped off with a hamstring issue during the first half of the dramatic 3-2 win over Burnley in the Premier League last time out.

Cunha subsequently withdrew from Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia, with United boss Ruben Amorim admitting after the game at Old Trafford that he was “concerned” by the injuries to both Cunha and Mason Mount, who was also taken off hurt at half-time against Burnley with an unspecified problem.

Amorim said he was unsure as to the severity of either injury pending further checks, with United also hosting Chelsea in another high-profile fixture after their latest Manchester derby instalment and a trip to Liverpool also coming up next month.

They appeared to be handed a potential boost over Cunha earlier this week, when the player suggested he would be “back soon” in a post on Instagram.

That was followed by reports of optimism at United that the injury was not as serious as first feared and that the former Wolves forward could yet be available to face City.

Cunha now looks to have issued another injury update of sorts on social media, taking to his Instagram story on Saturday to post a picture of himself working hard on an exercise bike.

The image is accompanied by the caption: “The time is flying.”

United fans will hope that means that Cunha is edging closer to a full recovery as they head to City looking to achieve back-to-back wins at the Etihad following their dramatic late turnaround at the home of their cross-city rivals last season, when a Bruno Fernandes penalty and late Amad Diallo effort cancelled out Josko Gvardiol’s first-half opener in a memorable 2-1 victory.

There has been no further update on Mount’s status ahead of that derby, while Amorim was handed a new injury concern earlier this week when versatile full-back Diogo Dalot pulled out of the Portugal squad for World Cup qualifiers against Armenia and Hungary with a muscle issue.

United, who have won just once across all competitions so far this season and were dumped out of the Carabao Cup in the second round by fourth-tier Grimsby, are also currently without long-term absentee Lisandro Martinez.

Pep Guardiola’s City have suffered successive Premier League losses to Tottenham and Brighton and are already inundated by injury problems early in the season, with the likes of Gvardiol, Rayan Cherki, Mateo Kovacic, Savinho and Phil Foden having all been sidelined of late.

Abdukodir Khusanov suffered a knock against Brighton and John Stones withdrew from the England squad ahead of their win over Andorra with a muscular issue.