"Don't write him off so quickly" - Dimitar Berbatov backs Manchester United star to rediscover form after poor start to the season
Manchester United legend Dimitar Berbatov has backed Casemiro to rediscover his form following the Brazilian's underwhelming start to the season.
The Red Devils signed Casemiro from Real Madrid for £60 million last summer. He had an excellent debut season, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists in 53 appearances across all competitions. His feats enabled Erik ten Hag and Co. to win the Carabao Cup and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Unfortunately, the 31-year-old has struggled for form this season. Despite scoring four goals in 11 appearances, Casemiro has failed to control games from midfield the way he did last season. He has also looked lethargic at times and has been defensively poor.
Reports from Spain have suggested that Casemiro regrets joining Manchester United (via El Nacional). In response, Berbatov told Betfair (via Manchester Evening News):
"I hope this is just a bad rumour because it's going to bring unwanted heat towards him in a moment where he's not playing how he used to play. So, I hope it's nothing but a rumour and that there's nothing to it."
"He has shown at Real Madrid how highly rated he is, how he can play top, top football - he showed that at United in his first season. He's set high standards for himself, so it's up to him to continue to prove to everyone that he's the player that people know he is."
He added:
"Time is going by and he's getting older, so he needs to be smarter in how he plays the game, how he approaches games, how he reads the game. I hope he's back fit as soon as possible as he'll bring that maturity and calmness of reading and knowing the game."
"He's still a presence that you can count on. Don't write him off so quickly because he deserves to be given more time even when he's not playing well. He's a world-class player."
Casemiro has missed Manchester United's last two games due to an ankle knock. He faces a race against time to be fit for the upcoming clash against Manchester City on Sunday, October 29.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag gives verdict on his side's form compared to Manchester City
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag gave an honest response when asked about how far the Red Devils are from Manchester City.
During the pre-match press conference on Friday, October 27, he said (via @UnitedStandMUFC on X):
"In this moment they’re six points ahead, we’re six points back, we have to catch up. We know we have to progress the team, make developments. It has to do with the cooperation, the movement around it, we have to work on that."
The Reds Devils are currently eighth in the Premier League table with 15 points from nine games, six points behind Manchester City. While the table may suggest that there isn't too much to separate the two giants, this hasn't been the case at all.
Manchester United have been extremely poor in most of their games, losing six of their 13 games across all competitions so far. They have narrowly won their past three games but will be hoping to put in a more assured performance against the Cityzens on Sunday.