“A Beast on the Pitch”: Morgan Rogers Names the One Man Utd Player Who Stunned Him at Villa Park
Even in the middle of a title charge, class recognizes class.
Following his match-winning brace that propelled Aston Villa to a 2-1 victory over Manchester United, England’s man-of-the-moment Morgan Rogers stopped to deliver a surprising verdict on the opposition. While much of the post-match talk has centered on Ruben Amorim’s tactical “Purge” and the injury to Bruno Fernandes, Rogers wanted to talk about a specific “beast” who nearly ruined Villa’s perfect afternoon.
In a rare moment of post-match candor, Rogers admitted that one Manchester United star left him—and the Villa Park faithful—absolutely stunned.
> “Although I scored a brace yesterday, this particular Man United player was the beast on the pitch. He was just unlucky not to be on the winning side. He really shocked me yesterday.”
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The Unlikely Hero: Who Was the “Beast”?
While United ultimately left Birmingham with zero points, Rogers’ comments point toward Matheus Cunha.
The Brazilian forward, who found the net just before half-time to level the score, was a constant thorn in Villa’s side. Despite United’s structural struggles in the second half, Cunha’s individual brilliance was the silver lining in an otherwise cloudy day for the Red Devils.
Cunha’s “Beast Mode” Stats from Villa Park:
* The Goal: A clinical finish across Emi Martinez after capitalising on a Matty Cash error.
* The Threat: Six total attempts on goal and two major chances created.
* The Impact: Involved in almost all of United’s positive offensive play, recording a higher xG (Expected Goals) contribution than many of his teammates combined.
“He Really Shocked Me”
For Rogers, who is currently in the form of his life, the shock came from Cunha’s ability to remain a threat despite United being “shorn” of key creators like Bryan Mbeumo, Amad, and eventually the injured Bruno Fernandes.
Cunha was essentially playing as a one-man army in the final third. As Rogers noted, it was only through sheer “bad luck” and a few world-class saves from Emi Martinez that Cunha didn’t walk away with a brace of his own—or a point for his team.
The Amorim Paradox
Rogers’ praise for Cunha creates an interesting dilemma for Ruben Amorim. While the manager has reportedly lost patience with some “star names” (including Benjamin Sesko, following their locker room confrontation), he has found a player in Cunha who seems perfectly suited to the physical demands of his system.
If the rest of the United squad can match the “beast” intensity Rogers saw in Cunha, the Amorim era might find its footing sooner than expected.
A Respect Forged in Battle
It’s rare for a match-winner to spend his victory lap praising the losing side, but Rogers’ words highlight the thin margins of the Premier League.
> “You can see the quality they have,” Rogers added. “When you face someone playing at that level, you just have to hope your own team-mates turn up to match it.”
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Fortunately for Villa, Rogers turned up in a big way. But as the teams head toward a busy festive schedule, the “beast” of Villa Park has officially been put on notice by one of the league’s best.
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