Manchester United had to make do without Casemiro for the weekend’s big FA Cup quarter-final with Liverpool.
It was a big ask, having to face Liverpool without five-times Champions League winner Casemiro. While United did so and kept a 0-0 draw at Anfield, this required a more defensive approach with Bruno Fernandes suspended.
In this knockout clash at Old Trafford, Manchester United had to play to win, and fielded a midfield trio of Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Kobbie Mainoo. Considering how two of those players have a natural desire to move forward, it was a high-risk approach which United have paid for dearly in the past.
There were signs it didn’t work against Liverpool at times either. Huge gaps between attack and defence were evident, with periods where the visitors dominated possession.
This one could easily have gone the other way, in a back-and-forth game which United thankfully won in the 120th minute through a winner from Amad. Learning to win without Casemiro is necessary, and required a frantic re-adjustment after he was dealt a late injury blow.
Casemiro had to deal with urgent injury issue
News of Casemiro’s potential absence for the fixture broke hours before the game when he was omitted from the Brazil squad due to injury. Now further details have come to light.
According to Brazilian outlet Trivela, Casemiro felt a pain in his hamstring following one of the training sessions building up to the FA Cup game. It was in the same area of the same leg which caused him to miss almost three months of action between late October and early January.
The report claims Casemiro consulted the Manchester United doctors, with it claimed: “the club’s professionals did not identify an injury and considered the player fit to play.”
Casemiro was not satisfied with this and reached out to a doctor in Barcelona who had treated him for an issue previously.
Trivela reports: “The diagnosis is that the athlete has a small injury in the area that could become a much bigger problem if he acted at this time. It would be as if the scar opened again. For this reason, Casemiro was removed not only from the [Brazil] squad, but also from the derby with Liverpool.”
It is sensible that Casemiro sought a second opinion. Long-term it would not have helped if he aggravated his injury, nor if he was forced off early into the quarter-final.
Of course, it is worrying to hear the claims United did not pick up on this injury themselves. Perhaps eventually, given Casemiro’s complaints, they would have eventually arrived at the same conclusion if he insisted he was in pain leading up to kick-off.
Casemiro set to miss Brazil games
Casemiro will be missing from Brazil’s friendly fixture with England this Saturday. It’s no bad thing for him to get some extra rest. They then fly to Spain for a friendly on Tuesday, where he will play no part.
As the national team captain, Casemiro has been involved with their training sessions despite pulling out.
He travelled to St Albans, where Brazil are holding their training camp before the fixture at Wembley, and spent time with the squad, spending time with his teammates and welcoming the eight new debutants.
Brazil will play at the Copa America in the USA this summer and Casemiro is expected to have a big role.
Manchester United must re-shape midfield next season
By time Casemiro returns from the Copa America, Manchester United may have an entirely new midfield in place.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has spoken this week about his desire for a Paul Scholes type player in the midfield, although of course, these are not easy to find. We have a few suggestions.
Ratcliffe has also reportedly expressed concerns about the contract given to Casemiro, who has had an injury interrupted season.
Kobbie Mainoo is the future of Manchester United’s midfield. Casemiro is just the present. If he can return from injury quickly, we may see a little more of them together before the end of the season.