Manchester United may credit Frenkie De Jong for Casemiro's game-changing performance.
At Stamford Bridge, Casemiro scored a late equalizer for Manchester United against Chelsea in yet another spectacular display.
Casemiro jubilates after scoring.
In a parallel Premier League right now, Frenkie de Jong is Casemiro's replacement as Manchester United's holding midfielder, which is the situation Erik ten Hag desired when he assumed his position in the summer.
In order to connect the game from defense to midfield to attack, carry the ball forward, and put United on the offensive, the Dutchman picked De Jong as his top target.
But in addition to his reluctance to really go from Barcelona to Manchester, there were doubts about his ability to perform in the Premier League as a defensive midfielder.
Although Ten Hag may have imagined a United team to be as powerful as his Ajax club was in the Eredivisie, that was never going to happen. At the risk of stating the obvious, the Premier League is harder, and as the Dutchman has already learned, each game can be difficult.
De Jong, Christian Erisken, and Bruno Fernandes as a midfield trio would have been intriguing to watch, but it feels too possession-focused to be successful in this tier.
With De Jong's insistence on following through with his Nou Camp ambition, United might have struck gold.
Although both the midfielder and United officials claim Casemiro was under consideration the entire summer, there is no doubt that the deal hastened once Brighton and Brentford pulled the rug out from under United.
The 30-year-old took some time to get used to playing in the Premier League and at first appeared a touch too slow and heavy to succeed. However, class usually climbs to the top, and after six straight starts for the team, he appears to have been a wise acquisition.
It seemed risky to spend £70 million on a defensive midfielder whose prime years were thought to be behind him, especially on a five-year contract, but this squad was in desperate need of a defensive midfielder, and they now have a world-class player in that position.
The Brazilian, however, is much more than just a top-tier destroyer. He was the hero at Stamford Bridge thanks to his late equalizer, but he also contributed to keeping Chelsea under control when they began to press forward in the second half and set the pace for the first 45 minutes.
Casemiro's surprise tendency to look ahead has been a hallmark of his life. His passes have been accurate and flowing in the past two games, and United's midfield has performed well.
Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes were relishing the freedom they were given during United's overpowering first half at Chelsea, while Fred shone in a more forward role against Tottenham.
Casemiro frequently gained control in tight spaces and sent precise passes into the half-turning feet of Eriksen and Fernandes. The game was controlled by the trio, and Casemiro felt vital to it. In stoppage time, in front of the opposing end, he deserved that exhilarating moment.
The makeup of this team without De Jong is something we'll never know. Given Barcelona's difficulties in the Champions League, Ten Hag and his former Ajax player may reunite in the Europa League in 2023, but three months after being frantic for De Jong, United would not swap Casemiro at this time.
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