Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves lauded both Marcus Rashford and Casemiro when discussing which player should be crowned Player of the Year.
Erik ten Hag's side are still in contention to end the campaign with three pieces of silverware, having already won the Carabao Cup in February. While the Reds can still mathematically win the Premier League title, their realistic aim is to finish inside the top-four and attempt to lift the Europa League and FA Cup.
With a host of players having impressed in Ten Hag's debut campaign, the battle for the Player of the Year award will be interesting for supporters. Midfielder Casemiro and attacking star Rashford will both be in the mix, with the pair having thrived under the Dutchman.
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Rashford has registered 27 goals and 10 assists in 47 appearances this season, while Casemiro has managed 11 goal contributions from his midfield position. It is expected to be between those two players for the award, but former midfielder Hargreaves appears to be edging towards the Brazilian.
"Marcus has took the headlines but I think if you look at Casemiro, the team is so different when he’s not playing, just in every phase," Hargreaves told club media. "It affects David De Gea, it affects the back four, it affects the midfield balance.
"Marcus will get the headlines and rightly so because he’s been devastating in a way. Casemiro is the glue guy. It’d be a tough call, I want to give it to Marcus but I feel like Casemiro has taken the team to the next level."
Explaining what has impressed him about Casemiro, he added: "Just his consistency. I think that’s the one thing. There’s been so many great players here, but the great, great ones are consistent.
"You think of Bryan Robson, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, they are seven out of 10 pretty much every game and sometimes they’re an eight or a nine, and rarely they have a five out of 10 game.
"I think Casemiro does that. He’s always a seven, eight out of 10, he rarely ever makes mistakes. The thing that I love, I think it maybe surprises a few people, but as good as he is defensively, his first pass is always forward.
"Sir Alex always said: 'When you win the ball back, play forward.' He wins it and he passes forward, he gets it to Bruno or he gets it to Eriksen, who play in Marcus or any of the attacking players. Casemiro has been fabulous, he’s winning the ball back, he’s protecting the team but also, he’s a fabulous passer of the ball going forward."
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