Morgan Gibbs-White shared his thoughts on Matheus Cunha following Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Wolves, after seeing the star rejoice in the same way he did.
Wanderers picked up a draw on the road, against a Nuno Espirito Santo team struggling for their Premier League existence.
Cunha opened the score with a world-class goal, sprinting the length of the field before twisting inside two defenders and shooting into the top corner.
Gibbs-White, the perennial villain when these two teams meet, then scored with a header. He then continued to antagonize the travelling fans by inserting his fingers into his ears. That was also shown last season, when he scored a penalty in the Carabao Cup shootout.
Cunha repeated his celebration after scoring his second goal later in the game, precisely as he did last season when he scored his own penalty in the shootout against Forest.
Following the game, the pair discussed their shenanigans.
Morgan Gibbs-White reacts after seeing Matheus Cunha mimick his celebration during Nottingham Forest v Wolves
Some believe he hasn’t conducted himself well since leaving the club, and has occasionally displayed rude behaviour.
The offensive midfielder was sold in the summer of 2022, when Forest made an offer that was ultimately too big to turn down.
Some people have developed a strong dislike for the player, but there does not appear to be any hostility between Gibbs-White and the Wolves players.
Speaking about Cunha following yesterday’s game, he stated (via Match of the Day): “He’s a friend of mine. He is a genuinely decent man. Football is entertainment, and we demonstrated that today, but as a team, we are quite frustrated.”
Cunha stated (via Wolves official): “But the second (celebration) was a bit of a joke with Morgan Gibbs-White. He’s a fantastic player, and I know things were said before the game about how we played each other in the Carabao Cup last year, so when he scored, I scored, and I remembered this celebration, but there was nothing else. “It was just a small joke between us.”
Good to see from Cunha
The Gibbs-White situation is unusual. Wolves were ready to rely on him in the 2022/23 season, with Bruno Lage starting him in the first two Premier League matches.
But Forest subsequently made an offer, and Wanderers opted to cash in, which was understandable.
Since leaving, he has irritated supporters with his actions in Wolves games. He might turn around and declare that his actions are the result of the stick he gets.
Whatever the cause of the strained relationship, he will almost certainly be booed if he returns to Molineux.
However, his role as a pantomime villain adds to the significance of Forest-themed games. And it’s encouraging to see Cunha reciprocate.
