Casemiro underlined his status as an Old Trafford fan-favourite with his emphatic reaction to Marcus Rashford's winning goal in Saturday's Manchester Derby.
Manchester United came from behind to defeat their local rivals 2-1 and continue their stunning run of form under Erik ten Hag. Jack Grealish opened the scoring after coming off the bench for Manchester City before Bruno Fernandes equalised under controversial circumstances.
Completing a stunning turnaround, Rashford finished from close range after superb work from Alejandro Garnacho to secure derby-day delight for the Red Devils. The Englishman's winning goal in the 82nd minute prompted ecstasy at Old Trafford, with wild celebrations among players and fans alike.
Casemiro, who was a dominant midfield presence throughout the clash, got stuck in with the jubilant scenes, roaring in celebration and embracing two fans with a bear hug. The Brazilian has established himself as a key figure in Ten Hag's dressing room, with his winning pedigree from his trophy-laden stint at Real Madrid equipping him to help lead the a youthful squad.
The 30-year-old is one of the first to arrive at training at the club's Carrington training ground and one of the last to leave, setting the tone for those around him. Yet again, his importance for United was clear to see in the Manchester Derby, when he helped to keep a star-studded City midfield including Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri quiet.
Ten Hag labelled his midfield enforcer as "magnificent" in a glowing verdict at the turn of the year and made no secret of his delight at Casemiro's £70million arrival from Los Blancos. "I am happy they did," Ten Hag said of Real Madrid's decision to part ways with their long-serving midfielder.
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"But you see also at the World Cup he is a magnificent player. My analysis before the season was we needed that 6 position and he is fulfilling that position. In pre-season, we had a lot of discussions but you need the right player and we definitely have the right player. I am really happy for Manchester United, for this team to have him because he is really raising the limits for Manchester United."
Casemiro, who won five Champions League titles at Real Madrid, has made 25 appearances for United in all competitions this season, scoring twice and grabbing four assists. His latest goal involvement came in the Manchester Derby, as it was his through-ball which was lashed home by Fernandes.
The goal was a contentious one, as Rashford was in an offside position as Casemiro played his pass but was deemed not to have interfered with play before his Portuguese teammate finished beyond Ederson. The boyhood Red Devil then poked home from Garnacho's cross to secure victory and three points, leaving United firmly in the title-race mix.
