Manchester United boss Michael Carrick is hopeful Matheus Cunha will be fit to return when his side host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday in one of football’s fiercest rivalries with both teams chasing Champions League qualification.
United, third in the Premier League, need two more points to secure a place in the top five and return to Europe’s elite competition next season, while fourth-placed Liverpool are looking to strengthen their own Champions League position in a busy race.
Carrick said Cunha had returned to light training after a recent setback.
“We’re in really good shape,” Carrick told reporters on Friday. «Matheus has done some work, so we are hopeful. With Luke (Shaw), we are not sure if he will be ready, but we are hopeful. Matthijs (de Ligt) is still a little further away, he will not be involved in the match.»
“Otherwise we are in good shape.”
The possible return of Cunha, who missed Monday’s 2-1 win over Brentford with a hip flexor injury, would be a timely boost for United in a match that Carrick believes will retain its intensity regardless of league position.
«It’s always been one of my favorite games, without a doubt. It’s a game that stands out,» he said.
“Because of the history, the ups and downs this competition has had in the past, the entertainment and the emotion, all these things make it a very special game.”
United have risen steadily since Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim midway through the season, putting themselves in a position to finish above holders Liverpool and secure Champions League football with games to spare.
“It shows the improvements of the group, we are getting stronger,” Carrick said. “We come into this game in such a good position thanks to good results and trying to achieve what we want.
«But it’s a one-off game. The league position is what it is, but Sunday is a completely different game.»
Carrick have also brought academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo back into the center of the squad, with the midfielder recently signing a new five-year contract after being marginalized under Amorim earlier in the season.
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“He epitomizes this football club,” Carrick said. “He is a young player who has come through the youth academy, lives and breathes the club and has real talent.
“The natural thing for him was to sign a new contract, so everyone is delighted with it, including me, because I think he deserves it.”
Mainoo has started twelve of Carrick’s thirteen league matches and missed one match due to injury. This underlines his renewed importance as United look to finish strong.
Despite the stakes in the competition, Carrick emphasized the wider significance of a match that has defined English football for decades.
“When I think about this match, the first thing that comes to mind is the atmosphere of competition, regardless of positions in the league over the years,” he said. “The emotion of the players and supporters has never changed.
“Two incredible football clubs… to have such an impact over such a period of time is very special and we all appreciate that.”
United have 61 points from 34 games, 12 behind leaders Arsenal, while Liverpool are three points behind United and level with fifth-placed Aston Villa.
Published on May 1, 2026
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