Now, suddenly, Casemiro has been sent off twice in three Premier League games. This means that by the time he’s served his four-match ban this season, he will have spent just shy of half as many games suspended as he has played with Manchester United. This is without a doubt a poor record, and it feels like a stark contrast to the composed and methodical style with which we are used to seeing Casemiro play. The aura around him suggests more calm control and wise decision making – something which got him such high accolades during his almost decade-long stay at Real Madrid. But it appears he’s let himself become disappointed by the drop in Champions League level to be in Manchester United colours, so much so that he’s lost there sense of composure and discipline on the pitch. We hope to see him rediscovering himself for next year’s campaign.
Sunday’s red card incident was unfortunate and one only hopes that Carlos Alcaraz isn’t too badly injured, yet it was a risk Casemiro should have known better than to take. As the man in charge of bolstering Manchester United’s midfield, he has been nothing short of spectacular; indeed, it’s not hard to imagine the Red Devils being far worse off without his dependable presence in the middle of the park. While Casemiro has certainly given a much needed boost to The Red Devils’ season, he now could be the one who ends up costing them their top four finish and any dreams of domestic silverware.
Manchester United have been provided with an interesting fixture list for the next few weeks. On Saturday they will travel to Fulham to compete in the FA Cup quarter-finals, and although they may be favorites, Fulham’s form has improved significantly since Scott Parker took over as manager. Next Tuesday will then see them face Newcastle United in a Premier League match where three points are absolutely essential if they are to remain close in contention for a top-four finish. To add complexity, the following Saturday’s clash is against qualification hopefuls Brentford, who are currently flying high in second place of the Championship. Finally on April 4th, only four days later, they will face European contenders Everton, who appear to be on an upward climb after the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti. However this game will be unique as it is likely that Real Madrid star Casemiro will not feature due to his yellow card build up. Since his dismissal from their 3-2 loss against Arsenal there has been limited reassurance as Manchester have picked up seven points from their past three matches which were all played against Leicester City and Leeds United twice – not easy games by any means!
With just over 10 games remaining, most clubs will have their eyes firmly on the prize of Champions League qualification, and the game is on between Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool. Although Manchester United are currently in pole position, with a healthy eight point gap to fifth-place Liverpool, anything could happen as both sides fight it out in the league. Newcastle also have their own ambitions to reach the top four and their progress will be watched closely over the next few weeks; if they manage to beat Wolves and Nottingham Forest ahead of United’s visit in early April then they will be just three points behind. Regardless of who takes the qualifying spots at the end of this season, one thing is for certain: we can expect an exciting end to what has been an intense competition so far.
With the possible departure of Casemiro from United, it is unfair to assume that the team will automatically revert to its pre-Casemiro type without him. Fred has had a highly impressive season, and Scott McTominay added weight to his case for starting with his second-half display against Southampton. It also seems unlikely that any of the teams currently below United in table will become consistent enough to challenge them for a top 4 spot. Still, time will tell if United can continue their recent run of good form into next season.
Manchester United’s season has been a rather tumultuous one, while they seemed to getting closer to the top, a 5-0 thrashing from Liverpool and a draw at home against Southampton have put the brakes on their progress. In an unfortunate incident, the reckless actions of midfielder Casemiro forced him out of contention for this important period in the season – something that could further destabilize United’s confidence. With such a significant absence in their ranks, United will have to devise creative solutions if they are to stay in contention for silverware this year. Hopefully casemiro’s mishap does not prove too costly for them as they enter the final stretch of what could potentially be an exciting season.
