Antonio Conte’s teams are usually well prepared defensively and difficult to beat. His team, Tottenham Hotspur, came third in the game against Manchester United on Wednesday.
Even the most optimistic of supporters could not have expected such a dominant performance from Erik ten Hag’s side that night. United had 28 shots on goal and had 52 per cent of possession as they outscored Spurs 2-0.
united dominant
It could have been a loss were it not for an excellent goal from Spurs captain Hugo Lloris. He denied Marcus Rashford a hat-trick and also thwarted good attempts from Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes.
Before the game, there was a clamor for Ten Hag to leave Fernandes and Fred due to their disappointing recent performances, as well as a lack of goals from midfield.
Casemiro’s match in numbers vs. Tottenham Hotspur:
85% passing accuracy 70 touches 10 ball recoveries 4 field duels won 3/4 long balls completed 2 interceptions 1 clearance
He brilliantly protected the baseline. ???????? pic.twitter.com/Skit2Lw18G
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 19, 2022
But the Dutch boss was confident his players would turn out well, and that is what they did, as their second-half goals made the difference on the night.
While Fred’s overall contribution drew most of the plaudits, it was his midfield partner Casemiro who quietly went about his business, forcing Spurs back down throughout the game.
Whenever there was a whiff of danger, the Brazilian was available to clean up and pass forward and that can be seen in the fact that the 30-year-old made 10 ball recoveries, which saw United play with his foot. Forward.
casemiro the star
He was strong at the tackle and won four ground duels and all of his aerial duels. The former Sao Paulo star brilliantly protected the baseline, making two crucial interceptions and a clearance.
He is not just a glorified defensive midfielder, he can play and his stats speak for themselves. Casemiro’s passing was top notch with the former Real Madrid star finishing the game with a passing accuracy of 85%, completing 49 passes.
More importantly, he made eight passes into the final third, which was the most of any player on the field. The Brazilian international could also have scored a goal, but he saw his rough shot go a few inches wide.
It has not been an easy transition to life in the Premier League. His new manager took her time before launching him deep against Everton.
But since his full debut, Casemiro has hardly taken a wrong step. And Ten Hag was quick to praise the general midfielder of him.
“Casemiro is already installed, you also see him evolve. You see why we signed it. He is growing game by game and you see how important a player like him is for the squad and it was a magnificent performance.
“This team, this club needed a player like him. He showed in the last few games what he can do for the team,” Ten Hag said after the match.
United are constantly linked with midfielders like Frenkie de Jong and Jude Bellingham, but for now, the United faithful can finally enjoy what it means to have such a midfielder on the hallowed turf of Old Trafford.
