There were two great defensive midfielders with Manchester United affiliations at Old Trafford on Monday. Roy Keane seemed surprised that the new recruit Casemiro came over to hug him. Maybe the Brazilian was raised on tales of the Irishman’s heroics against Juventus in 1999. Perhaps he just wanted to dodge the kind of vitriolic appraisals Keane has delivered about Harry Maguire from the television studio. But maybe United’s most iconic captain sensed a kindred spirit.
Because until Casemiro arrived Keane could feel his legacy was not upheld. Arguably United’s last truly successful signing at the base of the midfield was Michael Carrick, who took Keane’s No 16 shirt when he arrived in 2006; for a few years, at least, Anderson threatened to take that mantle. But if Paul Scholes and Carrick are one of United’s two defining central-midfield partnerships since Keane departed, the other is Scott McTominay and Fred.
