The sight of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro rowing at full-time of Manchester United’s game against Aston Villa should come as no surprise to anybody who has been paying attention this season.
There was similar heat to their discussion after the Carabao Cup final when Casemiro felt Fernandes should have passed to Jadon Sancho in a late attack. Casemiro also delivered a glare at Fernandes when he picked up a booking for a foul at Crystal Palace that earned him a suspension. Fernandes had pulled out of a tackle seconds before.
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The origin of this latest exchange could be found by the halfway line in stoppage time. Fernandes had possession but rather than run or pass to the corner, he tried a skill to beat Villa’s midfielders and though semi-successful, was ultimately robbed of the ball. Casemiro dived to tackle Jacob Ramsey but Villa broke and eventually won a free kick in a dangerous position outside the box.
United held out to become the first team to keep a clean sheet against Villa in the Premier League since Unai Emery took charge, but Casemiro felt compelled to underline his annoyance at Fernandes’ decision.
Fernandes, of course, gave as good as he got, seeming to suggest he was turning on the ball to give Casemiro a chance to run onto it. After airing their grievances, the pair finished with a hug.
You might term it a form of creative tension. These are two competitive players who can claim to be United’s outstanding performers this season. Their public disputes (both coming after victories) are a sign of their desire to be better.
Fernandes’ full-blooded approach can irritate his team-mates and Sancho was seen apparently telling him to “stop moaning” during the first half against Villa. They appeared to be on better terms after the Portugal international pounced to score the game’s only goal in the 39th minute.
(Photo: Getty Images)Manager Erik ten Hag would rather have his players going at each other than simmering silently.
“A couple of weeks ago, there were questions about his captaincy, it’s crazy,” said Ten Hag of Fernandes. “He’s such a big leader, he gives so much energy to the team. His determination, his passion, his resilience, we need such players if you want to win games and make trophies.”
Ten Hag struck a similar tone with Casemiro, who had experienced a dip in performance in recent games but was back to his best against Villa. “Nobody is always playing brilliantly. He plays such a high level,” said Ten Hag. “Some games with suspension his rhythm is broken and he had to get back. Today it was the Casemiro we’ve seen all season.
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“He brings so much organisation, composure, determination and his leadership is so important. Others go with him. We saw a determined and passionate team in the second half who want to win more than the opponent.”
Players hammering out those finer details in clutch moments will be instrumental in propelling United to higher achievements.
GO DEEPER
In Casemiro, Manchester United have a holding midfielder who can finish off moves
Christian Eriksen is the third key cog in United’s midfield. The triumvirate of Fernandes-Casemiro-Eriksen now has a record of 16 wins and four draws from 20 starts together, although this match had a slight amendment to the usual configuration — Fernandes was on the right wing, with Marcel Sabitzer as No 10. It meant a different threat to Villa’s high line.
Fernandes repeatedly ran in behind and even if the ball did not always find its way to him, that movement got Villa backpedalling.
Ten Hag explained why he switched Fernandes, who also played on the flank in the 4-2 Carabao Cup win over Villa.
“From the side, he’s a very good presser, he understands the moment when to close down, when to put an opponent into trouble,” Ten Hag said. “Even if our press is beaten, he tracks back. He can play in between lines and then get behind lines. He has so many skills, it’s a pleasure to work with players like him.”
In the centre, Eriksen’s passing was crisp and he was successful with 50 from 60 attempts (83 per cent accuracy). Fans purred at one pass around the corner to Tyrell Malacia.
(Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Casemiro was the standout, though. He made 50 of 57 passes, the most accurate of the front six players (88 per cent). He also made seven recoveries and two interceptions.
He started with purpose, twice winning the ball off Ramsey, 10 years his junior, in the opening eight minutes. The first tackle in the final third won United a throw-in. The second turned over the ball so United could break.
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In the 15th minute, Casemiro chipped a pass from deep to the right for Fernandes, whose first-time cross was too far in front of Sabitzer at the far post.
Soon after, when Fernandes was down claiming an injury, much to the mirth of Villa fans nearby, Casemiro dived in to make a foul that stopped Villa’s counter. He managed to evade a caution on this occasion.
Casemiro struck the bar with a good shot, produced a backheel tackle on Douglas Luiz at a moment when United looked vulnerable, then won the header from Emiliano Martinez’s goal kick that set Marcus Rashford away for United’s winner. Fernandes pointedly stood in front of the Villa fans after scoring.
Casemiro is less of a provocateur to opposing supporters than he is to his own team-mates.
He did not nail all his long passes, but he accurately hit one to Sancho over the top, another flighted one to Rashford and a threaded one to Malacia on the left wing.
More than anything, it was the uglier side of the game that endeared him to supporters. They chanted his name in the 72nd minute when he sprinted to kick the ball into touch before deliberately playing it off Bertrand Traore to win United a throw-in. In stoppage time, he ran out to block Lucas Digne’s cross.
Then there were those tackles in the final minute that were an attempt to defuse any of Villa’s attacks. It had, by then, become a little frayed for United and Casemiro did not shy away from telling Fernandes so.
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