As Ruben Amorim looked back on how far a serial Champions League winner had fallen, he said: “In the beginning he was behind every midfielder, even Toby.” Toby Collyer, now on loan at Championship club West Bromwich Albion, where his starts are outnumbered by his substitute appearances, was ahead of Casemiro in the pecking order at Manchester United.
It formed part of an ignominious decline. Amorim came in and was swift to place Casemiro at the back of the queue. Erik ten Hag had brought Collyer on for the Brazilian in what seemed a personal nadir, a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool when he was at fault for two goals and hauled off at half-time.
