"It was the lowest point of Casemiro's Manchester United career. A 2-0 home defeat by Newcastle on 30 December 2024. That night, his team-mate Joshua Zirkzee was sarcastically cheered off by his own supporters, substituted after just 33 minutes. But the common consensus that night was that if Casemiro had been brought off at that point, the reaction would have been worse. The 33-year-old didn't play for a month after that, consigned to the bench for the following five games."
"'Form is temporary, class is permanent,' the football adage goes. But form is dictated by a number of factors. A footballer's performances can be affected by the side they play for, their tactics, their team-mates. Form is about situation. So it can look as if a player has become worse - when in reality, the conditions around them have changed, limiting their chance to thrive."
"When Ruben Amorim was United's head coach, between November 2024 and January 2026, Casemiro had to play in a physically demanding role. But his pre-season preparation was key in matching those demands this season, with the midfielder visibly leaner and stronger. "Pre-season [is] a time to really grind, and really do some real work, then during the season you can focus more on the games themselves," he said about his summer."
Casemiro hit a low point after a 2-0 home defeat by Newcastle on 30 December 2024 and spent a month on the bench. He has since regained form and become one of Manchester United's most important midfielders as he approaches contract expiry at season's end. Improved pre-season preparation left him leaner and stronger and better able to meet the demands of a physically intense midfield role. Changes in tactics, teammates, and overall squad fitness under Ruben Amorim created situations that better suit his strengths, allowing his performances to shine more frequently.
Read at www.bbc.com
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