David de Gea is confident that new signing Marcel Sabitzer can fill in for Manchester United midfield general Casemiro during his three-game suspension.
Casemiro won't be eligible to play a Premier League match until March after being shown a straight red card for violent conduct against Crystal Palace, meaning manager Erik ten Hag must find a way of coping without the influential Brazilian. Fortunately, De Gea reckons that Sabitzer - who arrived on loan from Bayern Munich during the final hours of transfer deadline day - has the capabilities to deputise for Casemiro in back-to-back match-ups with Leeds next week and a clash at home to Leicester later this month.
"It's going to be tough for sure," the United goalkeeper admitted following his side's dramatic 2-1 victory over Palace on Saturday. "We already lost Christian [Eriksen], now Casemiro, big players for us. But we have a bigger squad, players are ready to play, everyone is really focused.
"Sabitzer showed already, he played 15 to 20 minutes and he did really well, made some good tackles, he is good with the ball and everyone is ready to play."
Indeed Sabitzer did, as the Austria international impressed during his 16-minute cameo to help his new team-mates cling onto all three points. Brought on shortly after Palace had pulled a goal back following earlier strikes from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, the Red Devils' new No.15 put himself about at Old Trafford to make good use of first outing.
Ten Hag will be relieved that he managed to get Sabitzer through the door just minutes before the January transfer window slammed shut on Tuesday, as a half-season loan move from Bavaria was quickly engineered. With Eriksen injured until April, Donny van de Beek out for the season and Scott McTominay also sidelined for two weeks, Sabitzer will be immediately relied on.
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Explaining what the 28-year-old can bring to United's midfield, Ten Hag said: "I know the player already a long time from [Red Bull] Salzburg. He performed fantastically, so I expect that he will do the same here. I think he has a great attitude; he is at the right age, I am sure this opportunity will motivate him greatly and he will perform strongly for us."
After Sabitzer's brief debut, the Dutch tactician added to MUTV : "He understands football. You see that straight from the start and in training as well. He did quite well, he's really composed on the ball and he knows how to defend. We need such players who understand the game and who also bring the right spirit."
