100% tackling, 100% dribbling, one goal: this relentless player was the heartbeat of United’s attack vs Nottingham Forest

Manchester United were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. While Man United produced a convincing first-half performance, they were on the back foot from the moment that the second 45 minutes kicked off. Even though there was plenty to criticise about United’s overall performance, one player who proved impactful and reliable was Casemiro. A lethal attacking threat Casemiro was undoubtedly United’s best midfielder, if not attacker, as well. He was a constant threat to the Forest defence, taking four shots, one of which was on target and two of which were blocked. In the 34th minute, he produced a powerful header from a corner to put United into the lead, showing his attacking aptitude and great situational awareness. Casemiro took two promising shots late in the second half – one of which was from the edge of the box and was blocked, while the other went into the side netting. Still, it wasn’t just his attacking intent that turned heads. The beating heart of United’s midfield Casemiro was the ideal holding midfielder against Forest, with all three of his tackles proving successful. He completed 51 of 62 passes (82% accuracy), and 97% of his passes within United’s half found their target. The Brazilian won four of his eight ground duels as well as six of his 11 aerial battles. All in all, Casemiro was key to United’s performance, with the team facing certain defeat without his contributions. PlayerCasemiro Goals1 Expected goals (xG)0.21 Assists0 Expected assists (xA)0.27 Key passes3 Crosses (accurate)1 (0) Accurate passes51/62 (82%) Passes in opposition half (acc.)21/32 (66%) Passes in own half (acc.)30/31 (97%) Long balls (accurate)3/6 (50%) Total shots4 Expected goals on target (xGOT)0.69 Shots on target1 Shots blocked2 Touches82 Unsuccessful touches2 Dribbles (successful)1 (1) Possession lost15 Tackles (won)3 (3) Interceptions1 Clearances1 Blocked shots1 Recoveries8 Ground duels (won)8 (4) Aerial duels (won)11 (6) Fouls3 Dribbled past2 Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.