Ruben Amorim has declared that Casemiro is a lesson for every Manchester United player in the way he has forced his way back into the team to become a pivotal player again.
The Brazilian scored United’s first goal in their 3-0 Europa League semi-final win over Athletic Bilbao after playing a crucial role in each of the last three in the 5-4 quarter-final victory over Lyon.
But Casemiro was dropped after struggling in December’s 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle and did not start any of United’s next nine games, when he was an unused substitute in seven of them.
Amorim, who preferred the untried Toby Collyer then, is pleased with the way the £63m signing is working harder for the team.
“You can see not the way he plays but the way he runs,” he said. “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.”
Amorim also revealed he had changed his pressing structure to help the 33-year-old Casemiro cope.
“Then we understood that he cannot jump all the time pressing high,” he explained. “We need to let him understand and 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.”
Amorim is set to rotate his team for Sunday’s game against Brentford but, as he struggles to get them to replicate their fine European form in Premier League games, is looking for his players to show the required attitude in their remaining top-flight matches.
“The hardest part is for the players to understand that if you play on Sunday, you can play Thursday,” he added. “That is the first point. It doesn't matter. Then we have to show the importance of every game in Manchester United. Then every position we have in the Premier League, you win more money. So that is important.”
