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Fred hails ‘important’ Casemiro after Man Utd’s cup triumph

Manchester United defeated Barcelona over two legs to seal their place in the last-16 of the Europa League and beat Newcastle United to win the Carabao Cup.

They also edged past West Ham United to book their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, all with Casemiro in the side.

The 31-year-old has been a brilliant acquisition since joining from Real Madrid last summer, staking a claim as the best defensive-midfielder in the Premier League this season. He has been hailed by midfield partner Fred for being the best teammate.

As per the Daily Mail, the Brazilian said: “I love to play with Casemiro. He’s important to be a part of our squad. He’s a big leader.”

The ex-Real Madrid man has made 34 appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals with five assists, missing only five games across the board.

And while he’s not captain, he does lead by example, showing teammates exactly why he played for Madrid last season.

The 31-year-old has forged a formidable partnership with Fred and United are third in the Premier League with one trophy already sealed, so things look bright under Eric Ten Hag.

Casemiro is first in the squad for tackles per game (3.2), joint-second for interceptions per game (1.3), second for fouls won per game (1.1), joint-third for assists (3), and fourth for passes made per game (49.4), so it’s little wonder Fred praised his efforts.

Per Football Today, United paid around £60m to bring Casemiro from Madrid, but he’s been worth every penny.

He was instantly a regular in the starting line-up and has only missed games due to suspension, so the Brazilian is undoubtedly one of the signings of the season.

Stats from Transfermarkt and WhoScored