How talisman Casemiro turned into a total liability for Erik ten Hag and Manchester United after the Brazilian veteran was once again ruthlessly exposed by Crystal Palace, writes CHRIS WHEELER

• Casemiro has become a liability for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag this year
• The 32-year-old Brazilian endured a nightmare display against Crystal Palace
• Another nightmare… which players are to blame and should Thomas Tuchel come in? Listen to It’s All Kicking Off! Special Man United Crisis Podcast

When Casemiro was booked against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in January 2023, it immediately took the wind out of Manchester United’s sails.

Erik ten Hag’s side were minutes away from a 10th straight win when his Brazilian was cautioned for a foul on Wilfried Zaha. Ten Hag and his team-mates knew there and then that Casemiro would be suspended for the trip to Arsenal four days later.

Visibly deflated, they conceded a late Michael Olise equalizer against Palace and then lost at the Emirates.

That’s how Casemiro felt back then. A talisman for Ten Hag that was practically indispensable. “The cement between the stones,” is how the United manager described it, and that was no understatement.

Fast forward 16 months and it looked like Casemiro was running on cement on his return to Selhurst Park, an even more miserable experience that ended with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Olise and Co, which threw Ten Hag’s future into a even greater doubt. .

Deployed once again as an emergency center back in the absence of seven defenders, the 32-year-old midfielder was mercilessly exposed. Stats show he was dribbled eight times, which is the most challenges missed by a player in a single Premier League game this season.

The sight of the five-time Champions League winners floundering behind Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta as they put Palace two goals ahead was sad to see.

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe needed any further evidence to want to offload the club’s top earner in the summer, here it is.

Mail Sport revealed in December that even Casemiro couldn’t believe how much United were prepared to pay him when they approached in the summer of 2022, offering Real Madrid a £70million transfer fee sterling and the player – then aged 30 – a period of four years. contract on £375,000-a-week, such was their desperation to sign a world-class midfielder after missing out on Frenkie De Jong.

When Ineos began assessing United’s squad ahead of Ratcliffe’s £1.3bn investment, the Casemiro deal was held up as an example of how they would not want to do business if they got the keys to Old Trafford.

It was no surprise, therefore, to see former director of football John Murtough sent to Saudi Arabia in December to offer Casemiro to the highest bidder.

A move to the Saudi Pro League, possibly with Al-Hilal, could happen in the summer and United better hope otherwise they will be stuck with a very expensive problem.

It didn’t feel that way when he arrived in England at the start of last season. Casemiro helped lead United at times and scored seven goals, including a crucial opener in the Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle at Wembley.

He was one of four standout players for the Ten Hag alongside Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Lisandro Martinez, although two red cards – including one against Palace, arguably his least favorite team, at Old Trafford – have meant that it was totally suspended. out of eight games.

But the business has not aged well. The player looked out of sorts when he returned for the new season and, despite four more goals before the end of September, missed 17 games with a serious hamstring injury.

He was a valuable mentor to the young Kobbie Mainoo and still shows flashes of the old Casemiro. Even at Selhurst Park, he was the biggest goal threat from set-pieces in a toothless United attack.

But playing out of position in central defense was a disaster, and he became a liability for the Ten Hag.

A crazy header back into his own six-yard box earned Burnley a late penalty in their Old Trafford tie 11 days ago, and he hit the low point of an illustrious career on Monday.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was brutal in his analysis of Sky Sports.

“Honestly, nothing could be worse than Casemiro playing at center half for Manchester United,” Carragher said. “It’s sad to see a great player perform like that – he’s miles away.

“Casemiro should know, as an experienced player, that he should only have four more games left at the top level – the next three league games and the FA Cup final, then go to MLS or Saudi Arabia.

“I’m nowhere near what that man achieved, but when I retired there’s one saying I always remember: leave football before football leaves you.”