Cunha still out as Man Utd seek to rebound at Palace

Matheus Cunha stays on the sidelines while Manchester United aim to recover from a challenging period, according to manager Ruben Amorim on Friday.

The team suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, who played with 10 men, which halted their run of five unbeaten games and dampened the positive atmosphere at Old Trafford.

Amorim's squad lacked Cunha following an injury he picked up during training, adding to the problems caused by the knee issue sidelining forward Benjamin Sesko.

Both players will sit out Sunday's match away at Crystal Palace, and veteran defender Harry Maguire will also be absent once more.

"Sesko requires additional recovery time," explained United's head coach Amorim. "Harry is in a similar position. I anticipate Matheus being ready for the following fixture (against West Ham on Thursday), but not for this one."

Without Cunha and Sesko, United face a significant setback, particularly given their failure to find the net in the last four Premier League encounters with Palace.

After the humiliating loss at home to an Everton side down to 10 players early on, following Idrissa Gana Gueye's slap on teammate Michael Keane, Amorim's group must restore confidence.

"The week has been genuinely difficult, and rightly so," Amorim commented. "This loss was tough, yet we must press on with the process and prepare for the upcoming challenge.

"In our league this season, situations can shift rapidly, so we should refocus and tackle the next match head-on."

United are chasing only their second victory on the road this season, facing a Palace team that has not lost in 12 straight Premier League home outings.

Earlier this month, Amorim's players surrendered leads to Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, eventually settling for 2-2 draws in each.

"Pinpointing a single reason for our away struggles is tough," the Portuguese coach remarked, with his side sitting 10th in the Premier League table. 

"Numerous factors are at play. We are making progress, but we must learn to see games through to secure victories."