Manchester United midfielder Casemiro will be suspended for his side’s Super Sunday clash with Premier League leaders Arsenal, live on Sky Sports this weekend.
The Brazilian midfielder was booked ten minutes from time in United’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace – his fifth booking of the campaign, leading to a one-match ban.
Casemiro stopped Wilfred Zaha on the counter-attack to concede a free-kick and protect United’s 1-0 lead at Selhurst Park.
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Casemiro cuts Zaha and will now miss Arsenal’s crucial game on Sunday.
But Michael Olisset’s stunning stoppage-time free-kick meant United dropped two points in their bid to chase Arsenal at the top, as well as the availability of one of their key midfielders for this weekend’s clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Sunday, January 22, 4:00 p.m. Start at 4:30 p.m
Reacting to Casemiro’s yellow card, United manager Erik ten Hag told Sky Sports: “I think it’s instinctive, he went for the ball.
“He dropped the ball, but it’s quite clear, on our right, it could have been a dangerous situation. He wants to stop her. That was his reaction, it was quite clear.
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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag claimed the failure to score a second goal to end the game against Crystal Palace was the most disappointing aspect of the 1-1 Premier League draw.
Last time we beat Arsenal without Casemiro, so we have to do the same this time.
The Ten Hag side trailed the Gunners by eight points at the weekend, giving second-placed Manchester City the chance to pull three points clear of their neighbors when they host Tottenham on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports.
Casemiro has been a key figure in Ten Hag’s plans this season, playing every minute of football in United’s last nine Premier League games.
A draw at Palace on Wednesday night denied United the chance of winning a tenth game in a row.
Redknapp: Arteta dances around his living room!
Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp:
“We said before the game about Casemiro: Don’t get a yellow card, don’t get a yellow card. Because it’s so important that they need it on Sunday. He received a yellow card in the 80th minute and everything went downhill from there. from Manchester United.
“It affected them so much. They knew their talisman and their most important player on that defensive unit was gone. It was a bit of a crazy moment.
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Jamie Redknapp claims Casemiro’s booking and subsequent suspension ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Arsenal took the steam out of the side and led to Crystal Palace’s equaliser.
“He was furious with his team-mate Bruno Fernandes, who jumped out of a challenge and was booked for that. It could even have been a red card. It’s an outrageous challenge.
“I just saw Mikel Arteta dancing around his living room. They don’t have anyone who can do what he does in the team. It’s a reckless challenge, reckless.
“As a player at that position, his whole life and his whole career, he’s made those fights. He knows he has to get a yellow card sometimes and it was just instinct – that’s all he knows how to do. He can’t help himself. He’s thinking about the team, he doesn’t want to do this challenge because the consequences are so great.
“He was furious with his player. Had to take Zaha down as he doesn’t want the other team to score. It’s just instinct.
“He is so important. It looks like they will have to bring in either Fred or Scott McTominay [on Sunday].
Image: Casemiro booked ten minutes before Palace’s draw with Man United
“If you look at Arsenal at the moment, with Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka – that midfield is functioning so well. I can only see it benefiting Arsenal in such a huge way. They have so much confidence right now and that makes them red hot favourites.
“He is one of the most important midfielders not only at United but in the Premier League, some teams function so well when they have certain personalities. He smells danger and they will miss him so much with what he brings to a team. Arsenal? That’s exactly what they wanted to see today, and that’s big news for then.”
De Gea questions United’s fixture schedule amid Casemiro’s yellow
Image: David de Gea questioned why United had to play in midweek and Arsenal didn’t
Reacting to Casemiro’s suspension, United goalkeeper David de Gea questioned why his side had to play a midweek game before the Super Sunday clash, compared to a free week to prepare for Arteta’s Arsenal.
United’s trip to the Palace, originally planned for September but postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, was rescheduled for Wednesday night with just ten days’ notice.
Speaking to Sky Sports, De Gea said: “[It’s a] big blow to lose Casemiro for Sunday.
“I don’t understand why Arsenal don’t play when we have to play in the same week and they don’t.
“Now we are missing one of our best players. I do not understand. Now we miss him for a big game and it’s a big loss for us.”
Watch Arsenal v Manchester United live on Sky Sports Premier League this Super Sunday; start 4:30 p.m
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