Manchester United produced an attacking performance to remember as they cruised to a 4-1 victory over Athletic Club.
By sealing a massive 7-1 win on aggregate, Man United have sealed their place in the UEFA Europa League final, where they may just manage to not only come away with silverware but earn their spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Still, one such victory would not have been possible without a strong midfield performance by United, with Casemiro playing a critical role in the area of the pitch.
The Brazilian appeared confident and astute, while exhibiting a level of physicality that can only be achieved at the elite level.
In fact, Casemiro’s physicality was almost unmatched as he won seven of his nine ground duels and five of his nine aerial battles.
The veteran midfielder completed 41 of his 50 passes for a respectable 82% passing accuracy. Furthermore, he completed two of his three long balls.
One thing that Casemiro did particularly well was support his defence as a top holding midfielder should.
He completed seven tackles, the most of any player from either side, while also making three clearances and an interception.
But while his midfield and defensive game was stellar, so too was his attacking display.
Casemiro may have taken just one shot, but he was sure to make it count.
In the 79th minute, he got on the end of a Bruno Fernandes free kick, burying the ball in the back of the net to hand United a 2-1 lead.
It seemed as if Casemiro’s goal opened the floodgates as his team found another two goals to seal an emphatic victory.
What is particularly special about Casemiro’s performance is how he helped to rejuvenate his team and lead them to a meaningful victory.
After all, the Europa League is United’s last chance at silverware following what has been a challenging season. With the likes of Casemiro back to their best, United certainly have it in them to end the season on an enormous high.
(Stats via Sofascore)
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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.
