Cunha played a key role in the decisive goal, initiating a move that saw him thread a pass to Bryan Mbeumo before Benjamin Sesko raced at 22 miles per hour to finish for the match's only strike.

Initially overlooked by Carrick in favour of Patrick Dorgu, Cunha's opportunity arose after Dorgu suffered a hamstring injury.

Since stepping into the starting line-up, Cunha has impressed with his attacking threat and defensive contributions, quickly establishing himself as a vital presence.

Carrick's post-match praise reflected Cunha's influence on the team's performance, emphasising how the Brazilian's combination of skill, pace, and diligence helped Manchester United claim three valuable points in a challenging away fixture.

"I'm delighted. That was kind of where we were tonight, we had to put a lot into the game, everyone did. Credit to Everton, they made us dig deep," said Carrick.

"It wasn't the prettiest or most perfect game football-wise for us but, like you say, the defensive work Matheus put in, the effort, the work-rate.

"In the end, his moment that we know we've got in the group to create something, made the difference for us. But it comes from him defending really well in a deep position to then create that transition. He's a great character, Matheus, I've got to know him.

"We've not been together that long really, so sometimes when you get frustrated with things that you see, for the team I mean not an individual, you've got to take a deep breath and think we're trying to put things in place.

"The players are still learning, they're getting to know me, I'm getting to know them. Another big moment for Matheus, he's had a number of them since the very start [of my time here] against City, when he came off the bench. He's had a big impact again today for us and he's in a good place as well."

Jose Riveiro: Orlando Pirates lacked the necessary aggression