Manchester United have revealed that Casemiro has sustained an injury that will keep him out for the foreseeable future.
According to Manchester United website, an ‘assessment has found a strain that will keep him out for a number of weeks’.
Then there’s the worry that Casemiro won’t recover and that it’s time to cash in on the 31-year-old. But now that it’s out of the way.
Part of the problem with Manchester United’s current strategy is that when there is a vacancy in the roster, they spend heavily on one player in the expectation that he will fill the void.
But what happens if the player is injured, burns out, or loses form? United do have a few players who can step in for Casemiro, but not many.
- Sofyan Amrabat
This is an excellent opportunity for Sofyan Amrabat to gain game time for Manchester United. The Moroccan was acquired to complement Casemiro and to provide a rotational option. They have, however, barely played together.
United must hope that Amrabat can stay healthy. He hasn’t displayed his greatest form yet, and it’s been a battle thus far. In this phase, his strengths will either be highlighted or his flaws will be highlighted.
- Scott McTominay
Manchester United believed Scott McTominay would take over for Nemanja Matic, but he is better in a deeper role and lacks the discipline to play in front of the midfield.
McTominay, on the other hand, has done it before. McTominay was the holding midfielder in a lineup with Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes when Manchester United defeated Arsenal 3-1 in September 2022.
McTominay has promised that the players will “fight like dogs,” and that if that means filling in at a different position, he will do so.
- Kobbie Mainoo
The return of midfield wonderkid Kobbie Mainoo is one bright spot for Manchester United. He even replaced Casemiro on his FA Cup debut earlier this year, which could be a portent of things to come.
Mainoo shone for the under-21s last week and is on the verge of making the first team.
The issue is Manchester United’s precarious position. With the problems stacking up, now is not the time to throw a young talent into a team. With so few choices, Casemiro’s injury may force Erik ten Hag’s hand.
- Hannibal Mejbri
Hannibal, the least likely of these four alternatives, can play in a variety of midfield positions, including deep-lying midfielder, which might allow him to showcase his passing ability even more.
He has mostly been employed as an offensive midfielder for United’s first team, thus this would be a shift from his previous roles.
He possesses the energy and legs to move around the first team that Casemiro lacks, but discipline is a huge problem due to his proclivity for picking up bookings – although this can also be said of the Brazilian.
