Manchester United played out a goalless draw with Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday in a tightly contested Premier League encounter.
The Red Devils had a chance to complete a league double over their city rivals for the first time in five years but were ultimately let down by a lack of sharpness in front of goal.
Joshua Zirkzee came closest to scoring in the 77th minute with a well-placed header towards the far corner, but City goalkeeper Ederson pulled off a superb save to keep him out.
While Bruno Fernandes stood out with his commanding display, Casemiro also earned praise for his performance in the middle of the park.
The Brazilian, who had initially struggled to secure a starting role under manager Ruben Amorim, has now seemingly cemented his place in the lineup thanks to a string of strong outings.
Casemiro took advantage of Manuel Ugarte’s injury before the international break and hasn’t looked back since.
Despite a narrow defeat to Nottingham Forest, his showing was solid, and he followed it up with an excellent display against City, winning an impressive 13 duels and making seven tackles.
In total, the 33-year-old registered 60 touches, three recoveries, and two interceptions, underlining his influence across the pitch.
Amorim acknowledged post-match that Casemiro has earned his place with his recent form and hinted that he could be a key figure moving forward.
United now turn their focus to Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg away to Lyon. Amorim is expected to stick with a similar starting XI to the one that faced City, although Zirkzee may replace Rasmus Højlund up front after his promising cameo.
With Champions League qualification on the line a the Europa League, the pressure is on United to deliver in Europe—and Thursday’s clash in France could be pivotal.
Would you stick with Casemiro and Zirkzee for the Lyon tie, or tweak the setup for a more attacking approach?
