LOOK: Why Casemiro is the most important player in Manchester United, and NOT for the reasons you think

LOOK: Why Casemiro is the most important player in Manchester United, and NOT for the reasons you think

Post author:Monelo Gabriel
Post published:2023-03-21
Post category:Manchester
Post comments:0 Comments

Manchester United missed Casemiro against Fulham at the weekend. The Brazilian is currently suspended and it was only when three Cottagers were sacked – Willian, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Marco Silva – that the game really changed.

The absence of a general midfielder of his class was clear, with many United fans noting that the pairing of Marcel Sabitzer and Scott McTominay was a significant downgrade from what Erik ten Hag was used to.

But dig a little deeper and you’ll see that Casemiro is even more valuable than you thought…

Table of Contents

Manchester United need Casemiro for their work in the future, just as much as their defensive work.

Yes, Casemiro is brilliant defensively. As a ball-winning midfielder, he is undoubtedly the best in the Premier League, as the numbers show.

As Adam Clery points out in the video above (opens in a new tab), Casemiro averages 5.5 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes. That’s almost double what any other Manchester United player achieves in one game. In fact, Casemiro also wins the ball through the air more than anyone.

But here’s the clincher: Christian Eriksen, currently absent, leads the team in progressive transfers, but as Adam says, Eriksen has been out for months anyway. Second on the list? Yes: Casemiro. The Brazilian creates 2.6 expected assists (xA) per game, ahead of Marcus Rashford with 2.1.

A brief explanation of how Casemiro affects both boxes

A brief explanation of how Casemiro affects both boxes (Image credit: Future)

“You take that guy off the field and all of a sudden your defensive coverage is gone,” Adam says in the video. (opens in a new tab). “You lose most of your tackles and interceptions every game.

“But you’re also losing the second or third most creative player on your entire team by taking the ball from anywhere on the pitch and putting it in a more advantageous position. That’s why you don’t control games when I don’t have it on the team.”

Source