Gary Neville has defended Erik ten Hag's decision to play Casemiro during Wednesday evening's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, but said he expects Arsenal to win on Sunday with United's Brazilian midfielder suspended from the game after picking up a booking at Selhurst Park.
The Brazil international, who has been a revelation since joining United from Real Madrid last summer, collected his fifth booking of the season against Patrick Vieira's side, meaning he will now miss Sunday's huge encounter against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium through suspension. He was cautioned with just ten minutes of normal time left on the clock for a heavy challenge on Wilfried Zaha.
It was an immediate blow for United as they knew the importance of him avoiding another booking ahead of their trip to the Emirates, by which stage the cut-off point for being handed a one-match ban for amassing five yellow cards will have passed. Any player who collects five yellow cards after 19 league games have been played does not have to serve a one-match suspension.
READ MORE: Sancho trains ahead of Arsenal showdown
Going up against a rapidly improving Arsenal side, whose midfield has been key to their success this season, means United could not have lost Casemiro at a worse juncture. But although Neville has admitted that losing him is an unwanted blow, he has supported Ten Hag for allowing the midfielder to run the risk of picking up another booking against Palace.
"Casemiro getting booked ahead of Sunday is a massive blow because he's been pivotal for him [Ten Hag]," Neville told Sky Sports. "I thought Casemiro would play, I didn't buy into this idea that he'd be rested because Crystal Palace are too good a team.
"It wasn't a good challenge either, to be fair, it could have been an orange, nearer to a red than a yellow, it happens though. Manchester United have got to pick it up now, it's a massive game on Sunday against Arsenal.
"It’s just a bit of a blip for United but if you'd have offered four points before the derby you'd have taken it but to win that and be 1-0 up in the 90th minute it's just disappointing."
United, who have lost just one of their last 20 matches, are the only side to have beaten Arsenal in the Premier League so far this season, and will take confidence from that fact ahead of their trip to the Emirates. The Reds defeated Mikel Arteta's side 3-1 at Old Trafford back in September and did so without Casemiro from the start.
Neville continued: "They beat them without Casemiro last time. They're going to have to play extremely well, defend well especially in the first half hour when Arsenal are electric but they don't have a great bench.
"If you get through that first period of the game what you're going to face is what you're going to face later on in the game. They had that problem against Newcastle who defended really well against them. But Arsenal are in great form, massive favourites for the game with Casemiro out.
"United have got to hang in there for the first part of the game and they are dangerous on the counter-attack. But without Casemiro I expect Arsenal to win on Sunday."
Find the footballs on the MEN website and you could win £1,000. To find out more and register to play for FREE, click here!
READ NEXT:
