Paul Scholes says Casemiro’s attacking and defensive qualities make him a Roy Keane-like Manchester United star, adding that he acts like a “coach on the pitch”.
Casemiro came back into the side against Barcelona after missing the two games against Leeds amidst his three-match Premier League suspension picked up against Crystal Palace. United missed his presence in the midfield and his Europa League return was timely given Marcel Sabitzer's suspension, while Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay remain injured.
Scholes said his absence against Leeds was noticeable and said his on-field management, forward passes, defensive work and in-game awareness make him a cut above. “You can see the big difference when he’s not in the team,” he told BT Sport ahead of United's Europa League play-off clash.
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“You think of the Arsenal game when he wasn’t there, I always talk about having a coach on the football pitch, and for Erik ten Hag he’s that man. He knows where he wants everyone to be.
“I’ve said this before, a lot of us have been surprised by the quality of his play because at Madrid it was about [Toni] Kroos and [Luka] Modric, but his passes forward, his awareness of people around him, he’s been fantastic.”
Scholes pushed back on the idea Casemiro's best assets are showcased when defending and compared him to United legend Keane. “People say he’s a holding midfield player - I don’t see that,” he added before going on to list four things that make him a United player.
“I think he does everything. He’s as close to Roy Keane as I have seen. As a Man United midfield player you should be involved with everything. You should be able to go forward, you should be able to play a pass and help defend. I think he’s been fantastic.”
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