Casemiro has taken a step back and needs to start being a dominant force again

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Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has taken a little step back and needs to kick on.

Casemiro has been one of the signings of the season, and Manchester United are lucky to have him.

But it is fair to say that since the Carabao Cup final success, in which he was absolutely terrific, the Brazilian’s fortunate have been a little mixed.

First came the loss at Anfield. OK throw that out as a freak result, then came the sending off against Southampton, causing him to miss four domestic games. Since returning, it hasn’t been great.

Casemiro is capable of more

Casemiro is an incredible midfielder, and even when he is playing at 50 per cent of his capability, it’s still a 7/10 performance for most players.

It certainly feels like something is missing at the moment. He has been sloppy in possession, and arguably a little too cautious in the tackle – understandable considering his treatment from referees.

Against Tottenham it was Christian Eriksen who was substituted, but actually, there could have been no arguments if it were Casemiro.

He was unable to stem Tottenham’s fightback, and while he needed more help in the second half, it was a showing from a player clearly out of form.

Casemiro won just one of four ground duels he contested, with just one tackle made and no interceptions. He was dribbled past three times.

His passing was just at an accuracy rate of 82 per cent, and none of the three crosses attempted found a teammate.

The reality is, this is probably what you should expect from a 31-year-old playing in his 44th game of the season, who featured for 120 minutes just days earlier.

It is only because Casemiro has set such high standards, that the drop-off is noticeable. But there has been a dip, a worrying one.

The season is not done yet, United must secure Champions League qualification, and Casemiro needs to be at his very best for when the FA Cup final comes around.

Maybe its best not to peak too soon, but that’s the worry, that his season may have peaked already. He needs to recover the levels of form he displayed at the start of 2023.