Manchester United had to settle for a 0-0 draw against bitter rivals Manchester City in the latest Manchester derby last weekend.
It was a hard-fought, tight but ultimately forgettable encounter in a fixture that is usually filled with endless spectacular moments.
However, Manchester United fans will be buoyed by the performances of one of their midfielders.
Their much-maligned and often criticised Brazilian defensive midfielder Casemiro dominated the engine room, reminding us of the commanding performances that made him a key operator at Real Madrid.
Casemiro is now Europe’s best tackler
The Brazilian has often been a scapegoat during his time at Old Trafford, but he has certainly improved this season under new boss Ruben Amorim.
Regularly featuring in the middle of the park, the former Madrid man has been a key component of United’s 3-4-3 system, which has been shown by his off-the-ball numbers this campaign.
Casemiro for example has made 5.24 tackles per 90 this season, more than any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
Fellow United midfielder Manuel Ugarte also ranks highly in this metric, sitting 6th on the list.
Jamie Carragher proved wrong by Casemiro form
The 2023/24 campaign was undoubtedly a challenging season both for Manchester United and Casemiro.
Despite FA Cup glory, the Red Devils finished 8th in the Premier League and suffered a number of humiliating defeats.
A 4-0 resounding away loss to Crystal Palace in early May marked a definite low point with Casemiro’s individual performance prompting Jamie Carragher to urge the 33-year-old to retire.
Live on Sky Sports Monday Night Football he famously told Casemiro to: “Leave the football before the football leaves you.”
Manchester United fans will be encouraged by the veteran’s recent performances and will hope he can bring these performances into Thursday’s crucial Europa League tie with Lyon.
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