Matheus Cunha has said it's too early to write off Manchester United this season after reminding critics they were able to recover from a poor start a year ago to finish third in the Premier League.
United won just two of their first seven games in all competitions under Ruben Amorim last season. The 1-1 draw at Fulham on Sunday means they've started the new campaign with the same record.
And Cunha, who scored the equaliser at Craven Cottage, insists the recovery under Carrick last season -- after Amorim had been dismissed in January -- shows that they can still be successful this term.
"Last season was my first season here, and then maybe it was more crazy than this one," Cunha said.
"There was a lot of noise around us, a season without Champions League. Maybe people were saying 'Oh, United will go to the Championship' or something like this.
"And then at the end of the day, we finished third, you know? I feel like inside of us, we still have a lot of trust, we know what we do, all the belief is inside."
United head into the extended three-week international break 12th in the table and without a win for three games.
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Cunha says the players are desperate to have the chance to put things right.
But the Brazilian accepted that with Carrick and his players under the spotlight because of their current form, maybe the lay-off has come at the right time.
United return to action in October with a tough run against Tottenham, Atletico Madrid and Como.
"I'm so anxious to play the next one," Cunha said.
"And then we have a big break now. Of course, when you don't win, you feel this kind of feeling to let's play the next one to win and feel everything good.
"But yeah, maybe it's the moment to be calm, to put the ideas in the right way, to come back. And then of course that could be a big month."
