Ruben Amorim believes Casemiro’s running stats are proof that he is finally getting the best out of the Brazil star at Manchester United.
Casemiro’s future at Old Trafford was in doubt even before Amorim succeeded Erik ten Hag in November, with the club keen to move his £375,000-a-week salary off the wage bill.
The five-time Champions League winner fell below young Toby Collyer in the pecking order of midfielders, with Amorim demanding that his players ‘run like mad dogs’.
But after another assured display from Casemiro in the stunning 3-0 Europa League semi-final win over Athletic Bilbao at the San Mames on Thursday night, Amorim claims that United have found a way to get the best out of the 33-year-old.
‘I think he has improved a lot,’ said the United boss. ‘You can see not the way he plays but the way he runs. You can see it. We have the data to show him where he worked really hard. He is a very good example.
‘Even Toby sometimes was playing in front of him, and now it is hard to take Casemiro (out of the team). So it is a lesson for all the players in Manchester United. No matter what is the past or the last month, everything can change in one moment.’
Ruben Amorim believes that one statistic shows he is getting the best out of Casemiro
United boss Amorim has been hugely impressed by Casemiro’s running statistics
Casemiro opened the scoring for United in their 3-0 victory away to Athletic Bilbao
Amorim accepts that Casemiro cannot perform the high press he wants and is happy to let the veteran midfielder sit deeper to help out at the back, while wing-backs like Noussair Mazraoui, Patrick Dorgu and Diogo Dalot join the attack.
He added: ‘We understood that he cannot jump all the time pressing high. Sometimes it is better to put three defenders and let him be the fourth defender, and put the wing-backs pressing high. These are all things we are understanding and trying to cope with all the criticisms of the team. But the credit is for Casemiro.’
