Not Bruno or Casemiro – Man Utd have their own Yaya Toure who Erik ten Hag can build around after Liverpool loss

Manchester United has been told by BBC analyst Micah Richards that Erik ten Hag’s star man Casemiro is reminiscent of Manchester City and Barcelona superstar Yaya Toure. The Brazilian has rejuvenated United’s midfield since joining from Real Madrid in the summer, and Ten Hag will be hoping to rely on his leadership skills in the aftermath of the Red Devils’ 7-0 thrashing of Liverpool on Sunday.

After several United players lost their calm during the game, Casemiro was replaced in the 76th minute at Anfield, before the final two goals were conceded. Bruno Fernandes, the stand-in captain, was chastised by Gary Neville and Roy Keane, but he looks to have escaped sanction from the FA following an incident with a linesman.

Before the humiliation, United had been on a remarkable run of success, which Richards believes could not have happened without Casemiro, comparing the Brazilian midfielder to both of his former teammates, Toure and David Silva.

“He has truly proven all of us wrong,” Richards told the BBC. “He’s been United’s stand-out performance, a threat from set-pieces, and a good organizer and leader. I recall when David Silva and Yaya Toure joined City and I thought I could trust them since they had been there and done it all before.

“That’s the impact Casemiro has made at Manchester United. He offers a sense of serenity to the rest of the team, and it was a surprise to see him have a horrible game against Liverpool this weekend, as that has never occurred before.

“Casemiro has simply been amazing in terms of the impression he has made on the rest of the United team. We know what he did and won at Real Madrid before joining United in August, but there were still doubts about the signing.

“Around the age of 30, he was entering a new league. Could he change? Did he have the stamina or the drive to succeed? I wouldn’t say I was undecided, but I wasn’t sure how he’d fit into Erik ten Hag’s team. “I didn’t think he fit the high-energy, high-pressing game that United was attempting to play.”

Following their awful performance against Liverpool, Ten Hag labeled his United players as “unprofessional,” but he will expect to rely on Casemiro’s expertise and leadership after winning five Champions League trophies at Real Madrid.

The Dutchman will attempt to pick up the pieces and get back on track against Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday.