Rio Ferdinand has criticised Jamie Carragher for the premature comments he made about Manchester United midfielder Casemiro last year.
Manchester United players deal with more criticism than most. It comes with playing for one of the most-watched football clubs in the world.
One player who has had no shortage of criticism is Casemiro, although his resurgence under Ruben Amorim has been noteworthy.
The 33-year-old is now one of the first names in United’s line-up every week, which inevitably leads to questions about his contract, which is set to expire in the summer.
Casemiro scored in United’s 4-2 win over Brighton on Saturday to make it three consecutive Premier League wins. After the match, Amorim made an example of Casemiro by admitting there was a point that the Brazilian was behind Toby Collyer in the pecking order.
Now, Casemiro regularly forms a double pivot with Bruno Fernandes in the middle of the pitch.
Rio Ferdinand slams Jamie Carragher over Casemiro comments
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand has been singing the praises of Casemiro.
Casemiro has started most of United’s games in the Premier League this season, with the Manchester derby being the sole omission.
The former Real Madrid star was one of the best-performing players on Saturday when United made it nine points from three games, with an encouraging performance against Brighton.
The Brazil veteran scored when his shot took a lucky deflection in the first half to give United a 2-0 lead. He had already assisted Matheus Cunha for the opening goal.
Ferdinand hailed Casemiro on the latest Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, saying: “He built a stellar career, a five-time Champions League-winning career, on the back of being the glue, the person that knitted the backline and midfield together and just plugged the gaps,” he said before adding, “He wasn’t asked to run all over the place, or be the creator. He was the one who was mopping up and doing all the dirty work and marshalling an area. And recently, this is what we’ve seen, we’ve seen something like the old Casemiro.”
He also recalled when Jamie Carragher suggested Casemiro should leave football after his performances dipped: “It takes me back to what was said by Jamie Carragher about ‘leave the game’.” Carragher – a one-time winner of the Champions League with Liverpool – called on the Brazilian to hang up his boots in famous fashion. “Leave the football before the football leaves you,” he said back in May 2024 amid a downturn in performances.
“Players lose confidence, players lose form. But I think the call was too early, and it was highly disrespectful for someone that has achieved so much in the game.”
What did Jamie Carragher say about Casemiro?
Back in May 2024, Carragher suggested Casemiro should leave football after his form dipped at United.
The Brazilian was a shadow of his former self at the time, but it was before he adjusted his game for Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system. Erik ten Hag was still manager and United were on the verge of winning the FA Cup.
United lost 4-0 against Crystal Palace, prompting the following reaction from Carragher on Sky Sports: “I think Casemiro should know tonight that he should only have another three games left at the top level.
“The next two league games and the cup final, then he should be thinking, I need to go to the MLS or Saudi.
“This has to stop because we are watching one of the greats of the modern time.
“I always remember the saying ‘leave the football before the football leaves you’. The football has left him. At this top level, he needs to call it a day at this level and move.
“The level of that player, he should not be putting himself through this. He is too good of a player to be putting in a performance like that, being laughed at by Crystal Palace. He needs to call it a day.”
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