Casemiro was quick to share the credit for his impressive goalscoring form since arriving at Manchester United last season.
The 31-year-old has provided some crucial contributions after he switched Madrid for Manchester in 2022; last term his seven goals included a last-gasp equaliser at Stamford Bridge, a winner in a tightly-contested away clash at Bournemouth, and the opener in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, which led the Reds on their way to a 2-0 win and silverware.
This time out, Casemiro already has four goals to his name in 11 appearances; he netted twice against Bayern Munich, and then against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. When Erik ten Hag opted to acquire the midfield stalwart to bolster his squad, such form wasn’t what he likely had in mind in his reasoning.
Instead, it’s the experience and dominance that Casemiro can bring to the team. That was evident on numerous occasions last year – when he wasn’t in the starting 11, it’s as if there was a gaping hole in his absence. Hopefully, he can get back to his best when he returns from his recent ankle injury.
Casemiro praises coaching staff
When addressing his goalscoring tally, he told United Review (via ManUtd.com): “There’s no doubt that this is something we’ve been working on a lot. Eric Ramsay [first-team coach] works hard on dead-ball situations, and he’s at the club for this very reason. He deserves credit for the work he’s done, indicating to us where we can hurt them the most. I think that the coaching staff have played a big role in this regard.
“Of course, those stats you mentioned are important [four goals in 11 games], especially for me given that I’m a defensive midfielder, but anything I can contribute to the team is really important to me. I’m always trying to help out. Obviously, my main aim isn’t to score.
“I have other duties. However, if I can chip in with goals from set-pieces and contribute to the team in this way then that counts for a lot. The credit shouldn’t just be given to the players and the specific player who scores, but the coaching staff as well.”