Anderson masterclass is Man Utd’s signal to go all out for Casemiro replacement
MAN UTD 3-2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Casemiro played his final game at Old Trafford on Sunday, and the man who should replace him in Michael Carrick’s midfield was on the opposite team
For Casemiro, it was a suitably emotional farewell at the end of a relationship that has had its ups and downs but is finishing on a high. But the truth accompanying his final home appearance in a Manchester United shirt is that Casemiro – to adapt Jamie Carragher’s pithy but premature line – is leaving Old Trafford before Old Trafford leaves him.
Michael Carrick will need a more dynamic, line-breaking central midfielder and the perfect specimen was in opposition to 34-year-old Casemiro, who ended his excellent season with a decent performance. Elliot Anderson’s worth is well-established and he does not need to do auditions.
But if the watching Sir Jim Ratcliffe knows anything about football – not a given, to be fair – he would not hesitate in sanctioning a huge offer for the 23-year-old England midfielder, especially as the part-owner found out during the game that United were £38million richer.
That is the fee the club will receive for Rasmus Hojlund after Napoli’s obligation-to-buy was confirmed by their qualification for the Champions League. Nice money for a player who never really looked like cutting it at Old Trafford.
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But it will take a lot more than £38million to prise Anderson away from Nottingham Forest. Treble that figure, for starters. United should try, though. In recent times, Old Trafford cannot have seen a more complete midfield performance by someone in losing opposition.
Right until the final whistle, Anderson looked capable of repeatedly unlocking the United defence while never neglecting his defensive duties. It sounds odd to say seeing as though he was on the defeated team, but it was a masterclass.
Carrick is taking charge of a very talented United squad and the addition of Anderson – who brilliantly set up a Morato header early in the second half that cancelled out Luke Shaw’s early opener – would turn them into very realistic challengers for domestic and European titles.
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There really is a lot for Carrick to look forward to with this group of players. Never mind the absurd refereeing decision that allowed the Matheus Cunha goal to stand, United thoroughly deserved this victory.
If Bryan Mbeumo had been as effective with his feet as he was with his right arm, they would have been out of sight before Michael Salisbury’s inexplicable failure to twice find the Cameroon attacker not guilty of handball. Let’s be honest, Mbeumo all but caught the ball before a couple of deflections led to Cunha’s strike.
United did look out of sight when Bruno Fernandes equalled the Premier League record of 20 assists – held by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry – to give Mbeumo his own much-needed goal but Anderson then set up a nice Morgan Gibbs-White hit which made the final throes of the contest an absorbing watch.
And in those final throes, Carrick made sure Casemiro got the ovation his United renaissance deserved by removing him from the action. It was a special moment, the tearful Brazilian being hugged by every teammate before bowing in thanks to all four stands.
It is the last time those stands will see Casemiro – in a United shirt, anyway – but they will be hoping they see a lot, lot more of Elliot Anderson. Sir Jim should be doing all he can to make it happen.
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