Casemiro: Man Utd's Winning Machine

With winning the Carabao Cup after overcoming Newcastle in the fiery final at Wembley Stadium, Manchester United finally completed their title desire after 6 years. Since then, Erik ten Hag, became the first Dutch manager to win the EFL Cup. David de Gea has surpassed legendary Peter Schmeichel to become the player who keeps the most clean sheets. Specifically, the Spaniard made 522 appearances and kept 181 clean sheets - one more than Schmeichel. And there is another player who played the best in this match. He played an important role in Man United's great progress this season and was one of the successful signings at Old Trafford at the present time. He is Casemiro.

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Victory at Carabao Cup 2022/23

The Brazilian midfielder had an excellent performance to bring the victory for the Red Fire of Manchester to enter the Carabao Cup final. Both Man United vs Newcastle entered the game very cautiously. Coach Ten Hag's army, despite being highly appreciated, was suddenly cornered from the first minute. However, in a game in which The Magpies are the active ones, Man UTD has shown their danger and effectiveness this season.

In the 33rd minute, from a fixed situation, Casemiro was not too tall, but his impressive positional ability helped him catch the ball. The star, born in 1992, then bounced high and hit a dangerous header, putting the ball into the net. The referee checked VAR very carefully before making a decision to recognize the important goal of the former Real Madrid star.

Newcastle's plan failed. Holding the ball a lot, attacking a lot without scoring a goal, The Magpies continued to be counterattacked only 6 minutes later. This time, the scorer is Marcus Rashford. The remaining minutes, despite their best efforts, the home team of St James' Park could not once penetrate David de Gea's goal and had to watch Manchester United raise the League Cup title.

The Value of Casemiro

An important piece of Man UTD

For many years, Man United did not have a midfielder at the level of five Champions League winners like Casemiro. And one has the right to doubt the Brazilian star because during his glory years at the Bernabeu, the midfielder looked like just a background for Luka Modric and Toni Kroos to shine.

But in reality, Casemiro didn't just say. At Old Trafford, he was more than a mere interceptor. Casemiro's defensive prowess has been proven throughout his time at Real Madrid and Brazil and that continues in the Premier League this season. Casemiro, on average, has four tackles per game, ranking the second in this league.

In addition, the midfielder's ability to create and contribute direct goals is also very respectable. Casemiro has five goals and six assists in 35 appearances with the Red Devils. It can be said that he has repeatedly performed his duties as a high-class legitimacy. And Casemiro is now perfecting his attack skill set. He became more pragmatic than a purely defensive midfielder.

During his time with two of the best midfielders of this generation, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos at Real Madrid, Casemiro's passes may have been underappreciated or rarely appeared. But at Manchester United, he is showing all the talents he has.

Coach Erik ten Hag is going through the most difficult period of the season when Man United has to strain in 4 arenas. And Casemiro is considered an extremely important piece that no one can replace. The Red Devils' chances of winning the title this season also depend on the performance and health of the Brazilian midfielder. The Dutch strategist shared:

"Casemiro is an important signing. Over the past few years, especially in midfield, United have lacked a quality player with a big personality, a player who provides a presence in the middle of the pitch. Casemiro is a top capable player. We've seen this every week. He makes an impact on games."

The team's 2nd tactician

Casemiro belongs to the group of players who arrive early and leave late in training sessions and often have breakfast with David de Gea and Fernandes. With a professional but quiet training style, his teammates often look to Casemiro for advice and are impressed by his desire to play in the Premier League.

The midfielder studies the opponents in detail in each match, noting their strengths and weaknesses. He is also passionate about watching football every day - a rarity in modern players. The Manchester United academy members were shocked to see Casemiro regularly visit the youth team to practice and play.

The influence of the Brazilian player both on and off the pitch on the Man UTD squad at the moment is undisputed. For a team that wants to win championships, they need players with the champion's DNA in the squad. Looking at the 11 people at Old Trafford right now, no one has won the Champions League more than Casemiro. With the success he has achieved, the midfielder wearing the number 18 shirt is here to convey the spirit and experience that has helped him to succeed in the decisive finals.

And the Carabao Cup final is where Casemiro shows that very clearly. His presence is a prestigious spiritual support for Man United players. Playing with a champion on the field will certainly make the players feel a lot more secure.

Former player Paul Scholes shared:

Ever since Casemiro joined Manchester United, the way the team plays has changed. He's almost like a coach on the football field, giving instructions to the rest of the team. I can't tell you enough how important it is to have a player in the middle of the pitch, someone who knows how to control the midfield and play that position perfectly.

Connecting the team and the fans

Besides the direct influence on the pitch, Casemiro's connection with the Manucians is helping the Red Devils a lot. What Casemiro does is beyond fans' expectations. He is the kind of world-class defensive midfielder they have been craving for over 10 years.

Fans love Casemiro as much as he wants to contribute to the team. Rookies like Casemiro have helped the team connect better with the fans than in previous seasons. The climax was probably when the video header equalized in the 94th minute against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He ran to the audience area and shouted continuously. The only thing that disappointed fans was that they had to wait until Casemiro was 30 years old to see such a classy player in a red shirt.

The previous doubts about Casemiro 

The day he arrived at Old Trafford, it was said that the midfielder looked to a club in crisis like Manchester United to earn money and retire. Legendary Man United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel had doubts about the Brazilian midfielder:

"Ten Hag said that he wanted to hold the ball and control the game, and at the same time wanted the team to put pressure on the ball. That's a bigger difference than in La Liga. I'm surprised when people mention Casemiro. With that number three, that salary at that age, I wonder if he can do the job or not?"

As the Manchester United board neared completion of the signing of Casemiro for a possible £60m, doubts about the Red Devils squandering money on a 30-year-old player emerged. Many people wonder if Casemiro is really wholeheartedly playing for the Red Devils when he gives up the Champions League arena to join a team that can only attend the Europa League. Not a few players are brave enough to choose this decision, or do they really have other purposes? In response to a question regarding this topic, Casemiro said:

"I've won the Champions League five times already, right? But I still want Manchester United to win the Champions League. That title is the most important title anyone wants to achieve. Of course, I want to win the Champions League. If I don't play there, I will be very sad. Given the size of the team, Man United also deserves to be in that tournament. But this is all about dedication."

Man United has been with me since the first day, making me feel at ease. Coach Erik ten Hag was very attentive and captivated me as soon as I met him. They show me affection like Real. The feeling of playing for a big team in a league like the Premier League is great. 

Up to this point, Casemiro has proven that he did not come to England for a tour. He continues to show the level of a world-class star. The Brazilian player wants to win glory, wants to be the champion team and wants to win everywhere he goes. Man United are of course benefiting from the midfielder's determination.

Over the years, Manchester United have always been busy looking for a top-class midfielder. They brought in many stars and most of them did not meet expectations, until Casemiro appeared. A true champion, a machine always aiming for victory has landed in the Theater of Dreams.