If Ten Hag is to lift silverware in his first season as manager, Casemiro will be pivotal to that success.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag thanks Casemiro as he is substituted off. Photo: AFP
“He is really important with all his experience but he is such a smart player and intelligent,” Ten Hag said.
“He knows the positions, how to deal with the ball and also he is creative as well and we are really happy with him. He is important for the improvement of the team.
“When you see his profile, if you see performances over his last years for Real Madrid, he is magnificent.”
Manchester United’s Casemiro scores their first goal. Photo: Reuters
Casemiro won five Champions Leagues and three Spanish titles with Madrid but left last summer for a new challenge in England.
Ten Hag wanted to add his winning mentality to a team that had seen Manchester City and Liverpool dominate the Premier League in recent years. His influence was evident against a Reading team that withstood United’s dominance until the 54th minute.
It was a performance that underlined how much Casemiro was missed when he was suspended for the 3-2 loss to Arsenal last week, which left United 11 points behind the league leaders.
With the midfielder in the starting line-up, United have lost only two of 21 games in all competitions, compared to four of 11 without him.
Manchester United’s Casemiro scores their second goal past Reading’s Joe Lumley. Photo: Reuters
Reading manager Paul Ince was a title-winning midfielder with United in the 1990s and outlined what Casemiro must do if he is to help return the club to its former glories.
“When you play for Man United, it’s not what you do against Reading or other teams, Leicester or Southampton, no disrespect,” Ince said. “It’s what you do against Manchester City and Arsenal and Liverpool and Chelsea and win titles.
“That’s what you base it on. That’s the standard that you’ve got to have. That’s what we had with the likes of [Roy Keane] Keaney and [Bryan] Robson and people like that.”
While Casemiro is better known as a midfield enforcer, he has showcased his other attributes in his short time at Old Trafford, including his impressive range of passing.
Against Reading, it was his clinical finishing that broke the visitor’s resistance.
Manchester United’s Brazilian midfielder Casemiro (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round match against Reading at Old Trafford. Photo: AFP
First came a delicate chip to lift the ball over goalkeeper Joe Lumley after racing onto Antony’s pass into the box. Then, in the 58th minute, he let fly from around 25 metres to double United’s lead.
His mastery was evident when Reading forward Andy Carroll’s frustration boiled over and he was sent off for a second yellow card after a wild challenge on Casemiro in the 65th minute.
Another Brazilian, Fred, came off the bench to add a third for United with a back heel a minute later.
Amadou Mbengue scored a consolation for Reading, but there was never any danger of a comeback.
“If we had played United a year ago I would have felt we had a right good chance of beating them,” Ince said.
“I actually felt that because I felt United had lost their presence. Teams were coming to Old Trafford thinking they could get something. But I think under Ten Hag, in a short period of time, he has lifted the whole club.”
Source: newsnow
