As Erik ten Hag left Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon, the Manchester United boss must have been cursing his luck to lose yet another midfielder for the next three Premier League games.
Ever the perfectionist, what could have been a fine performance against Crystal Palace was tainted by the rash decision of Casemiro to get involved in a scrap and the ensuing struggle. That Jordan Ayew should also have seen red does not help the case for the Brazilian's defence
United held on for three points thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, but what will concern Ten Hag is the speed with which his side conceded after losing Casemiro. The Dutchman will be without his midfield rock for the upcoming double-header against Leeds United plus the welcoming of Leicester City to Old Trafford on February 19.
