Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has confirmed that midfielder Casemiro is fit to face Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round tomorrow.
The Red Devils recently suffered their first defeat of the calendar year. They were beaten 2-1 by Fulham in the Premier League where they were second-best for vast periods.
Ten Hag will want a strong response in a crucial Cup tie on Wednesday. Ahead of the game at City Ground, he has revealed that Casemiro is fully fit to face Nuno Santo’s side.
The Brazilian was bleeding after a clash of heads with Harrison Reed last weekend and he had to be substituted as a result. Ten Hag has confirmed his availability for the Forest trip.
He said via Manutd.com: “So it was bleeding, so he had to come off. It was not to our advantage that he couldn’t continue the game. But he’s available for tomorrow.”
Casemiro’s availability is a huge boost for United
Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo have formed a solid midfield partnership over the past few weeks. Ten Hag was forced to substitute the former early due to the bleeding incident.
In the Brazilian’s absence, Mainoo did not have the same dominance in the heart of the midfield. Scott McTominay was caught out of position on a number of occasions.
In our view, Casemiro and Mainoo are a perfect foil for each other. The former has been good with his tackling from the number six role while the latter has controlled possession.
Hence, Casemiro’s availability is a huge boost, but United must step up after the recent loss.
There was plenty of space left between the attack and defence last weekend. The Cottagers played through the high press. They created plenty of chances in the first half without scoring.
We could see something similar from Forest tomorrow. United need to be more decisive with their pressing and need to show better defensive discipline to avoid getting outnumbered at the back.
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