Casemiro given harsh message after Man Utd’s humiliation: ‘Move to the MLS or Saudi’
Casemiro has been told to “move to the MLS or Saudi” after a disastrous display in Manchester United’s humiliation at Crystal Palace on Monday night signalled the end of time at the “top level”, according to Jamie Carragher.
United were thrashed 4-0 by a vibrant Palace side, which took Erik ten Hag’s injury-hit team apart at Selhurst Park and gave the visitors their heaviest Premier League defeat of the season.
A host of defensive injuries saw midfielder Casemiro line up alongside Jonny Evans at the heart of United’s back four, and the pair struggled against Palace’s front three of Eberechi Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise.
The 32-year-old Casemiro was given a torrid time, in particular, and was easily bypassed by Olise for Palace’s opening goal before he was tackled by Daniel Munoz in the build-up to Palace’s fourth of the night.
Casemiro, who captained United with the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford all out, looked a shadow of the player who won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid and Sky Sports pundit Carragher said the Brazil international should know he is past his best.
Casemiro has another two years on his contract with United after signing a four-year deal when he moved from Real Madrid two years ago and former Liverpool defender Carragher said United should look to move him on.
"I said at half-time that he had to bring Casemiro off,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “I think Casemiro, I am being deadly serious, should know himself tonight as an experienced player, that he should only have another three games at the top level, the next two league games and the [FA Cup] final, and thinking I need to go to the MLS or Saudi.
"I am being deadly serious. His agent or the people around him need to tell him it has to stop. We are watching one of the greats in modern times, played in one of the best midfielders in modern time - him holding [Toni] Kross and [Luka] Modric on either side, who could easily go up against the Barcelona midfield we all know and loved.
"I am nowhere near the level of what that man achieved, but I always remember something when I retired. It was a saying I always remember as a footballer. Leave the football before the football leaves you. The football has left him at the top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move."
Casemiro was one of United’s players of the season last campaign, scoring in the Carabao Cup final win against Newcastle at Wembley, but has shown a significant drop-off in his second year at Old Trafford.
United face Arsenal and Newcastle at home before finishing their Premier League campaign away to Brighton, and are suddenly in a fight to finish sixth as Newcastle and Chelsea have found form.
Ten Hag’s side then play Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25, in a repeat of last season’s fixture won by Pep Guardiola’s side.
