Matheus Cunha could be the best midfield differential in our FPL teams. A differential is typically defined as a player with an ownership percentage of less than 10%. Cunha’s ownership is 8.8% compared to a more established FPL asset like Bruno Fernandes at 21.3%. This gives managers the chance to gain a significant advantage in their mini-leagues if he performs well.
During the Manchester United vs Arsenal game there was one standout player from the both teams. Despite a 1-0 smash and grab from Arsenal, it was the Manchester United forward who impressed. He was marauding through the midfield constantly getting into attacking positions and feeding crosses into the box. There were many instances where a cross would go in but nobody was in the box. Had Manchester United started Sesko over Mount, Cunha could have hauled a massive amount of points. We have already seen his partnership with another tall striker in Strand Larsen at his old club Wolves.
Bruno who costs £9.0m was the safer pick many managers went for due to Defcon, penalty duties and guarantee of minutes. Although what we would see is that Fernandes was playing quite deep and often looked to be playing in a number 6 role. The Red Devils now have a lot of fire power upfront so we could see Bruno start playing more deeper and dictating the midfield and tempo of the game rather than getting into attacking positions.
Here is a heatmap of the two via sofascore, this shows that Cunha is taking up the central positions whereas Bruno is all over the pitch trying to help the team. As you can see he does not enter the box at all.
Bruno was one point away from reaching the 12 Defcon threshold also demonstrating that he is good for defcon points but is not going to award you with that explosivity that we have seen before from the Portuguese maestro. Bruno also could not register a single shot with 2 of his attempts getting blocked. Worried about his non penalty goals due to Bruno no fret as all of his 15 goals were from open play, showing his natural scoring ability and suggesting his FPL returns are not inflated by penalty duties.
Last season, Cunha was a standout performer for Wolves, accumulating 178 points. He was a key figure in their attack, scoring 15 goals and providing 7 assists. His consistent output and ability to earn bonus points made him a valuable forward in FPL. However, his new FPL position as a midfielder is a game-changer. Goals from midfielders are awarded an extra point as well as clean sheet points, making his goal-scoring potential even more valuable.
Manchester United’s early-season fixtures are challenging, but unlike other top clubs will have no European midweek fixtures this season which is definitely a boost to Cunha’s minutes. Given his new midfield classification, Cunha represents a compelling mid-priced option. If he settles quickly and builds a great rapport with his new teammates, he has the potential to become a high-value asset with a low ownership percentage. Cunha costs £8.0m and offers a risky but a more explosive opportunity for players looking for United assets in their team.
