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Pundit Ian Wright was critical of the effort put in by Manchester United midfielder Casemiro in his side's 4-3 defeat at the hands of Chelsea on Thursday night (April 4). The Red Devils faced the Blues in a thrilling encounter that was decided by a 101st-minute goal from Cole Palmer.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag opted to start a midfield pairing of Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro at the base, with captain Bruno Fernandes further forward. Chelsea raced into a two-goal lead inside 19 minutes at Stamford Bridge, and United midfield's looked like they couldn't cope with the superior athleticism of the home side.
Ian Wright spoke about the performance of Casemiro, in particular, in his Wrighty's House Podcast, addressing the Brazilian's inability to cope athletically. The former Arsenal forward criticized the midfielder's attempts at tracking back in the game, labeling it as 'weird'.
“Watching Casemiro run back in terms of putting pressure on, you were thinking they’ve gone and it’s over for United. That was at 2-0. The way he was running, it was a joke man, it was very gingerly. His face didn’t change, he was just running back, it was really weird to watch."
Casemiro lasted only 75 minutes in the game before his withdrawal for fellow midfielder Scott McTominay. Erik ten Hag revealed later that the Brazil international was struggling with fitness issues, which necessitated his substitution.
Since joining the Red Devils for a reported fee of £60 million in 2022, the midfielder has struggled for consistency at the club. This season, he has featured 23 times for the side, scoring five goals and providing three assists in the league.
Manchester United face defensive crisis ahead of Liverpool clash
The Manchester United manager will face a major crisis at the back as his side prepares to face Liverpool at Old Trafford. The Red Devils were involved in a bruising clash against Chelsea in midweek, which tested them physically and emotionally at Stamford Bridge.
In the build-up to the game, they lost both Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez to injury, a trend that continued in the game. Raphael Varane picked up an injury in the first half and had to be replaced by Jonny Evans at half-time for Manchester United.
Evans himself lasted just 20 minutes in the second half before picking up an injury which led to his replacement. Teenage star Willy Kambwala was sent on in his stead, with Ten Hag's side down to bare bones.
The manager has only two fit centre-backs for the game against Liverpool on Sunday (April 7), inevitably leading to a major headache for him against the league leaders.
