Cunha's stoppage-time brace rescues United from 2-0 down against Roma, but Ferdinand demands more

Matheus Cunha rescued Manchester United with two late goals to complete a 3-2 comeback victory over Roma in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday, turning a 2-0 deficit into a winning platform — though former United defender Rio Ferdinand says the Brazilian must now make that level his standard.

Cunha, who joined from Wolves for £62.5 million and is now into his second season at the club, struck twice in the final 10 minutes to spark huge celebrations. The 28-year-old was sent off in the closing moments, but the result ended a nine-game winless run for United and gave the squad a much-needed lift.

Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, was effusive about the performance but stopped short of declaring Cunha a transformed player. “I think for Cunha this could be liftoff where he starts to catch fire,” he said. “I think he’s a hugely talented footballer and he showed glimpses, especially last season. Could this be the game that unlocks him? Because I haven’t seen it enough yet with him. You see moments, and you go, ‘Oh, look at that, that’s why we paid the big money for him’, but not enough.”

Ferdinand urged Cunha to study his own display and identify what drove the crowd and the team forward. “He needs to be watching back that performance and go, where were the fans feeding off me there? Where was I getting them going? Where was I getting the team and being the pressure point for the team? It was without the ball a lot of the time. And keep bringing that every game.”

Cunha scored 10 goals last season but has been asked to do more this term, often leading the line in the absence of first-choice striker Benjamin Sesko, who has been sidelined through injury. The added responsibility appears to have sharpened his sense of accountability.

“Being part of this, I have a responsibility,” Cunha said after the match. “I always talk inside about that — I need to be this kind of guy — to have the responsibility in the hard moments and the good moments. I always need to show up and be there for nights like today.”

The result offers United a foothold after a difficult run of form, but Ferdinand’s message was clear: one defining night is not enough. For a player signed at that price, consistency is the only currency that matters.