Manchester United midfielder Casemiro left Old Trafford after he was subbed off by head coach Erik ten Hag at the break during a 3-0 loss to Liverpool.
Manchester United collapsed to shock home defeat to the Reds at Old Trafford. A first-half brace from Luis Diaz and second-half goal by Mo Salah wrapped up a big win for the Arne Slot-led side.
Casemiro bore the brunt of the loss, especially for his two mistakes that led to both of Luis Diaz’s goals. At the break, he was subbed off the game and his reaction after being subbed off also got tongues wagging.
In a viral footage on social media, the Brazilian footballer was seen walking out of the facility alone with an escort at half-time.
It was a shocking move by the former Real Madrid player but it was linked to Erik ten Hag’s decision to replace him.
Why Casemiro was subbed off at half-time Vs Liverpool
Casemiro was whisked off the Man United Vs Liverpool clash at the break due to his errors that led to Liverpool’s two cheap goals. In the 35th minute, the Brazilian was dispossessed easily close to the halfway line, with Liverpool breaking on a quick counterattack from there. The quick counter-press saw Luis Diaz head home Mohamed Salah’s cross to give Liverpool the lead.
Seven minutes later, he lost possession again in the midfield, and Liverpool went on another counter, which resulted in Luis Diaz scoring again.
The Brazilian obviously lost his composure in the middle of the park, leading to the two quick goals. This apparently informed Ten Hag’s decision to bring on young defensive midfielder Toby Collyer, 20, in his place.
Casemiro’s dwindling form at Manchester United
Casemiro’s mistakes in the Liverpool match capped what has been a sudden twist in the players’ fortunes at Old Trafford. Since last season, the 32-year-old has been strongly criticized for his underwhelming displays.
His interceptions, ball recoveries, and activity in the final third have dropped drastically. From the records, Casemiro’s interception rate now stands at 0.82 from 1.44 per game. His ball recovery rate is now 6.40 down from 8.40.
And to cap the downward spiral of his performance stats, he missed 17 games last season due to an injury that got him out of action for 83 days.
Casemiro Manchester United contract
What has been more worrying for United fans is that the Brazilian footballer is one of the club’s most costly assets. United signed the player for £60 million from Real Madrid in 2022. He penned down a four-year contract with an astronomical wage cap of £300,000 per week.
Known for his heroics with Real Madrid, Casemiro’s jumbo pay wasn’t a problem, and neither was the contract duration, which was considered too long for a footballer of his age. Now, the opposite is the case with his underwhelming stats lately.
Casemiro risks punishment for early Old Trafford exit
Casemiro is likely to face punishment for leaving Old Trafford before the Liverpool match ended. Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is known for a strong-arm approach to player management. In October 2022, the Dutch axed out Cristiano Ronaldo from United’s matchday squad against Chelsea after the player angrily left the stadium at half-time during a 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite being held in high esteem by Ten Hag, it is more likely the Dutch won’t shy away from disciplining Casemiro for the incident.
What is next for Casemiro after the Liverpool match?
Casemiro’s relationship with both United’s fan base and the manager seems to have broken down. For the footballer, being replaced in the midfield by United’s youth player wasn’t a great scenario to put up with.
Notably, he has two years left on his contract with the Old Trafford outfit. He was strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer. It is unlikely, he will run out the contract and could leave in the next transfer window in January.
