Being replaced early in the match against Brentford was a warning bell about Casemiro ‘s decline in performance at Man United.

Defenders have more assists than midfielders and strikers. Defensive midfielders have three times as many goals as strikers. It’s Manchester United in the Premier League this season, where everything is not going according to plan.

Man United was very close to their fifth defeat in the Premier League this season and had to rely on Scott McTominay’s double, not Marcus Rashford, to save the situation.

During nearly 60 minutes of the match, Man United was deadlocked against Brentford. And that’s not a reasonable context for coaches to take their most important players off. However, Ten Hag did. The fact that Casemiro had to leave the field in the 46th minute was not as simple as Ten Hag’s explanation – “I want to play more football”.

Similar is the case with Rashford, he was taken off in the last 3 matches when Man United needed goals the most. Two of Man United’s best players last season are becoming disappointments this season.

Casemiro won Man United’s September Player of the Month award with 70% of the votes. That achievement was achieved thanks to the Carabao Cup performance against Crystal Palace and the double against Bayern Munich. However, the Brazilian midfielder’s two matches in October were very forgettable. He was sent off against Galatasaray and was taken off early against Brentford. Those are two warning signs, one from the referee and one from the coach.

If Casemiro’s red card in the Champions League has anything to do with Andre Onana then his performance in the Premier League is almost inexcusable. Casemiro’s tackling technique is making him pay too much. When the former Real Madrid player runs slower, he is more likely to make mistakes.

Casemiro appears to be isolating at Old Trafford, partly due to Ten Hag’s tactics which have left him stuck behind Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount. Casemiro is making fewer interceptions: 0.69 per 90 minutes compared to 1.43 last season and 2.17 in 2020-2021. His tackle rate of 2.91 per 90 minutes is also down from 3.77. According to Soccer statistics, he only won less than half of his duels.

In other words, Casemiro is a defensive midfielder but is not protecting the defense. The goals and assists that Casemiro, McTominay, and the four defenders have are welcome, but they often fail to complete their defensive tasks.

The match against Brentford was the first time Casemiro started as a midfielder but was not the holding midfielder. With Sofyan Amrabat starting in his preferred position, Casemiro often pushed higher.

The Brazilian can become a hero at any time and his presence at Old Trafford is constructive. However, Man United’s way of recruiting the Brazilian midfielder is backfiring.

Obviously, this is not just a temporary decline in performance for Casemiro or a tactical problem for Man United. Placing Casemiro and Amrabat in front of the back four is not as effective as in theory.

Real Madrid sold Casemiro, earning 63 million pounds for a player in his 30s. He has nearly 3 years left on his contract at Old Trafford and success in the Champions League in the past cannot guarantee his current position. Amrabat can completely replace the role of the Brazilian player.

If the win over Brentford was one of McTominay’s most memorable days at Man United, then for Casemiro, it could mark a bleak future…