Mna Utd will be without midfielder Casemiro when they travel to face Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
Casemiro is suspended (Image: 2022 Simon Stacpoole/Offside)
If the dropped points in midweek were bad enough, Manchester United’s night was made even worse by Casemiro’s yellow card.
There were visible grimaces on the faces of the United bench when the Brazilian was booked for a reckless challenge on Wilfried Zaha, pains that would be even harder felt when Michael Olise emphatically punished them with a stunning free-kick.
In the closing moments of the match at Selhurst Park, it was impossible not to get distracted by the prospect of facing Arsenal this weekend, weakened without their star man in midfield.
Out of all of Erik ten Hag’s summer signings, none have made their presence felt on the pitch quite like Casemiro. The 30-year-old has played a vital role with his defensive stability, but more so through his ability on the ball, offering moments of calm amid the chaos and carving opposition defences open with his surgical precision.
Casemiro’s expertise as a defensive midfielder is so great that he also knows the vulnerability of the role and uses his insider knowledge as a way to unlock the opposition by preying on their weaknesses.
With such a glowing endorsement, it is easy to see why the former Real Madrid man will be a loss to United this weekend, though his absence might not be the disaster some are predicting.
Ten Hag is right to point out that United have already beaten Arsenal once without Casemiro this season, with the Brazil international starting on the bench in September before being brought on in the final ten minutes of the match.
Marcus Rashford had already scored twice at that point to give United a 3-1 lead in the game, as United once again showcased their brilliance on the break to tear apart their opponents.
While they will undoubtedly miss Casemiro’s experience and passing ability tomorrow, his absence will at least provide Ten Hag’s team with a clear identity of how they will approach the match.
Without the aid of their star midfielder, it seems implausible that United will go to the Emirates and dictate possession and instead will be better suited to embracing the role of the underdog, as they already have against Arsenal, Liverpool and City this season.
Harry Maguire stresses subs have crucial role to play for Man United
Harry Maguire has stressed that substitutes have a crucial role to play for Manchester United amid a shortage of game time for the club captain.
Erik ten Hag retained Maguire as Man United club captain on his arrival at Old Trafford, although the England international hasn’t featured much under the new manager.
Maguire has been resigned to a bench role under Ten Hag for the most part, and while he was introduced late on in last weekend’s win against Manchester City, he has often remained on the sidelines for whole matches.
Despite his reduced role for his club this season, Maguire told United Daily that substitutes have and will continue to play a crucial role this season.
Harry Maguire on Man United subs.
“I think our fixture list from now until the end of the season is relentless, not much break, not much rest in between games. So I’m sure fresh legs will be used,” Maguire said.
“And I think if you’re going to be a successful squad, it’s so important to have competition for places in each position, and I think we’ve got that in this team now.
“I think subs throughout our season have been really important, they’ve scored some crucial goals, players have come on and had a big impact in the game. So we know it’s a squad game.
“Obviously everyone wants to start and everyone’s disappointed when they don’t start the games, but that’s the way it should be because we’re all footballers, we’re all competitive, we want to play football.
“But we’ve also got to be ready when we’re called upon.”
Erik ten Hag has proven to be a big success.
Maguire will struggle to get back into United’s starting team on a regular basis as things stand, as Ten Hag’s side are currently enjoying a 10-game unbeaten run in competitive fixtures.
Reports had suggested that Maguire could leave the club during the January transfer window, although it now appears as though Ten Hag intends on holding into the England international.
Ten Hag will have to call upon a wide range of players in the coming months due to United’s busy schedule, and it seems as though Maguire remains a part of his plans.
Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk; punditarena.com
