As Red Billy said in The Peoples Person match ratings, Casemiro may have had his worst performance in a Manchester United shirt.
United beat Everton 3-1 and somehow the midfield dominator the team has relied on so often this season was not instrumental in the FA Cup third round clash. However, Casemiro still managed to impact the game; in his unique way.
Casemiro is gaining recognition from Premier League observers for his intelligent, aggressive and well-timed free kicks that deliberately slow down play but do not penalize it.
Two fouls committed today, quite harsh by the way, were not enough for the referee to grant Casemiro a warning. The 30-year-old is like a crocodile on the pitch, surveying the situation and, when the moment is right, leaping on his prey.
Although he was less able to stamp his authority in midfield compared to usual, Casemiro still influenced play in this area of the pitch.
2 ground duels won; 2 aerial duels won; 2 free spaces; 3 interceptions; 1 tackle; 0 times past dribble.
If either Fred or Scott McTominay had walked away from a game with these stats last season, they would be nominated for Man of the Match.
It is the work of the five-time Champions League winner, his own stellar displays in midfield that hurt the verdict on him tonight, but Casemiro, the top pro, will know. No doubt he will be frustrated by his lack of superiority in midfield tonight, especially considering his mistake in setting up Everton’s goal. But this awareness and determination to be the best is what separates him from other United midfielders in recent years.
Perhaps what has surprised fans this season is Casemiro’s ability to spark attacks and get involved in the final third.
In that sense, he had a bad start against Everton.
1 key pass, 1 successful dribble and a lackluster 74% passing accuracy – these stats dragged down Casemiro’s performance tonight. Seemingly always consistent, Casemiro has shown his human fallibilities tonight.
The world-class defensive midfield master, however, has the perfect opportunity ahead of him to reclaim this deified fan’s favored position. He is perhaps the most crucial aspect when Erik ten Hag seeks revenge against Manchester City. United’s midfield, without Casemiro, was clueless when City went on a rampage in the reverse game in autumn.
Unlikely to start against Charlton Athletic in the League Cup on Tuesday, the experienced Brazilian has a week to prepare and reinvigorate his overall game.
