No Casemiro will probably be enormous blow for Man Utd at Arsenal… however Fred can fill hole

IT’S stating the apparent to say Manchester United’s probabilities of successful on the Emirates can be a hell of quite a bit higher with Casemiro within the aspect.

The look on Erik ten Hag’s face when referee Rob Jones confirmed the yellow card at Crystal Palace on Wednesday instructed you that.

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United supervisor Ten Hag knew a troublesome sport on the Premier League leaders was going to be even more durable with out Casemiro working the present in midfield.

He’s been magnificent this season, chopping out passes right here, getting a toe in there and stroking killer passes round far and wide.

And now Ten Hag goes to must attempt to cease Mikel Arteta’s males together with his Rolls-Royce caught within the storage. Or sitting within the stands, no less than.

However I do suppose there’s a hazard of his significance being overplayed a bit right here, as a result of the response to Casemiro’s suspension is as if he had a crew of previous bangers round him.

As a lot because the Gunners are even hotter favourites, anybody who sees the end result as a foregone conclusion is making an enormous mistake.

It isn’t . . . not by any means. Arsenal are enjoying marvellous soccer, have some implausible gamers and few — if any — weaknesses however United can nonetheless win this, for certain.

When you might hand-pick one man to do a job on Bukayo Saka, it will be Luke Shaw, who has been the very best left-back within the nation this 12 months — when Ten Hag isn’t enjoying him within the center!

Aaron Wan-Bissaka has his critics however there aren’t many higher tacklers than him — ask Wilf Zaha! — and I’m certain he’ll play Gabriel Martinelli effectively on the opposite wing.

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Inside the 2 full-backs you’ve got two central defenders who performed within the World Cup last, whereas Marcus Rashford is the shape striker within the league proper now.

The objectives have returned to Bruno Fernandes’ sport and also you don’t want me to let you know how good Christian Eriksen is.

Whoever is available in for Casemiro — greater than probably Fred or Scott McTominay — has acquired to maintain a lid on Martin Odegaard and that’s simpler mentioned than finished.

However though folks take the mickey out of Fred, you’re speaking a few man who frequently will get into the Brazil aspect and he’s no mug, imagine me. And neither is McTominay.

Keep in mind a number of years in the past, within the video games United have been with out Roy Keane and Nicky Butt would come into the aspect?

Nicky by no means let anybody down, he’d tear round, snapping at every thing, breaking issues up and giving the ball to others to play. Nicely, for me, McTominay may be very related.

It’s humorous however when United drew at Palace, folks have been saying they’d no probability of the title, nearly as if it was an enormous disappointment.

Nicely, whereas conceding a late equaliser was undoubtedly a disappointment, they’re nonetheless miles forward of the place everybody anticipated them to be after simply half a season beneath Ten Hag.

I wasn’t the one one who thought a top-four end was nearly the very best they might hope for — and I wouldn’t have been dashing out to stay the mortgage on that.

However they’ve been a distinct aspect this season, you possibly can see the idea in them and a confidence that’s been lacking over the previous few years.

United — with or with out Casemiro — may cause issues for anybody going ahead, particularly after they hit you on the counter. That’s what they’ll be hoping to do at the moment.

And in the event that they do win on the Emirates, they’re undoubtedly proper again within the title race . . . despite the fact that I mentioned final week that I feel it’s Arsenal’s title to lose from right here.

However a few accidents right here and all of a sudden the entire thing adjustments, as a result of there’s no means Arteta’s squad has the depth of United or Metropolis.

As for at the moment’s sport? Nicely, one minute I can’t see Arsenal dropping, the following I’m swaying to United nicking one thing

The one factor I’m sure of is it’s going to be very, very tight and I can’t watch for kick-off.