Manchester United handed fitness boost as injured star shares training picture on social media ahead of PL clash against Manchester City

Manchester United have reportedly received a boost ahead of their derby clash against Manchester City. The two sides will face off at the Etihad in the Premier League after the international break on September 14.

Manchester United beat Burnley 3-2 at Old Trafford in their last game on August 30. Matheus Cunha had to come off after 31 minutes due to a hamstring injury. However, the forward posted an Instagram story on Saturday, September 6, hinting at an early return.

Cunha posted a picture of himself training and wrote in the caption:

"The time is flying"

Matheus Cunha's story (Image credits: Instagram/@cunha)

This could be a big boost for the Red Devils ahead of the Manchester City clash. They had also lost Mason Mount in the Burnley clash as he went off in the 46th minute. Amorim had said about Cunha and Mount's injuries (via manutd.com):

“It was hard to lose Cunha and Mason Mount, because Mason Mount played 30 minutes with an injury. I’m concerned about that, because they are so important for us. We will see. I don’t know [how they are], I don’t know. We will check them. We need those guys really bad to be really competitive.”

Manchester United signed Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers by triggering his release clause worth £62.5 million in the summer. While he has put in some good performances, he has failed to register a goal contribution in four appearances so far.

A look at Manchester United and Manchester City's starts to the 2025-26 season

Both sides have had a poor start to the 2025-26 season. Manchester United began their campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal at Old Trafford in the Premier League. They then drew 1-1 against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Ruben Amorim's side then faced League Two side Grimsby Town at Blundell Park in the EFL Cup second round. They were 2-0 down at half-time but managed to restore parity to take the match into a penalty shootout, where they lost 12-11. Finally, they managed to beat Burnley 3-2 in the league, courtesy of a stoppage-time penalty from Bruno Fernandes.

Manchester City, meanwhile, started their campaign with a 4-0 win over Wolves at the Molineux Stadium. They then lost 2-0 against Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad before losing 2-1 against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.

Manchester City are currently 13th in the league standings, one point and four places behind their city rivals.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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Edited by Aditya Singh