Manchester United jumped back into sixth place in the Premier League after a much-improved 4-2 victory over Sheffield United last night.
Erik ten Hag’s side simply had to impress after the shocking 3-3 draw against Coventry City in the FA Cup on Sunday, but it wasn’t exactly plain sailing against the bottom-of-the-table side.
An Andre Onana mistake gifted the visitors the lead just after the half-hour mark, yet the Red Devils had equalised before the break thanks to Harry Maguire.
After the interval, the Blades took the lead once again, but when Bruno Fernandes equalised from the spot 11 minutes later, there was only going to be one winner.
Despite conceding twice, United dominated, having 72% possession, 25 shots, and an xG of 2.94 compared to the visitors 0.82.
There were a few standout performances on the night, with Fernandes, Maguire, and Alejandro Garnacho all having a goal involvement, but one player could have just saved his United career after last night.
Casemiro’s 23/24 campaign so far
Off the back of a relatively impressive first campaign at Old Trafford last season, where he helped the Red Devils lift the EFL Cup, Casemiro hasn’t quite been as influential this time around.
The Brazilian has made 20 Premier League appearances this campaign, typically playing alongside Kobbie Mainoo in a 4-2-3-1 midfield duo.
Real Madrid’s former midfielder has received plenty of criticism over the campaign, especially for his questionable decision-making both on and off the ball, as shown by his 83% pass accuracy in the league on average, with football creator Liam Canning highlighting his “reckless” approach.
Furthermore, Casemiro has really declined physically since his 17-game injury absence from October to January, with Canning alluding to his lack of athleticism and energy as an issue, stating that his “legs are fully gone.”
However, an enforced tactical tweak from Ten Hag could just save Casemiro’s career at United.
Casemiro’s performance against Sheffield United
For the second time in a week, Casemiro was fielded as a partner for Maguire at the heart of the United backline due to injuries to all other natural centre-backs.
Playing in the backline rather than in his usual midfield role helped the 32-year-old cover up his flaws and lack of ground-covering ability, in turn making him far less exposed.
The Manchester Evening News handed Casemiro a 7/10 rating for his performance, while the boss also praised Casemiro, stating:
“I think he's a very good centre-back, together with Harry [Maguire]. Very stable in and out of possession.”
xG
0.35
Shots
2
Touches
141
Passes completed
109
Passes into final third
12
Interceptions
2
Ball recoveries
5
Duels won
8
As you can see by the table, the number 18’s statistics further support that his future at the highest level could be as a defender, as he impressed yet again.
Firstly, from an in-possession perspective, Casemiro proved that he’s extremely confident on the ball, taking 141 touches, making 109 passes, and most importantly, progressing the play, as highlighted by his 12 passes into the final third.
From a defensive point of view, he was aggressive and proactive, helping United maintain their control, with his five recoveries, two interceptions, and eight duels won underlining that. The fact that he was only dribbled past once, compared to his usual 2.2 times per game, further suggests that the new role is better suited to his game.
On top of that, Casemiro was a huge threat from set pieces, having two shots from corners and racking up an xG of 0.35, and having a defender that can chip in with the odd goal is huge.
Overall, the only way that Casemiro can evade the transfer list that he’s currently on is by switching to a centre-half role on a permanent basis, which is where he will likely play this weekend against Burnley.
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