Olujobi joshua k an hour ago / autty
Gary Neville led the criticism for Casemiro for his role in Arsenal’s opening goal against Manchester United.
The Gunners faced a potentially difficult task in what was considered by most to be a must-win game at Old Trafford on Sunday, but any early nerves were eased by an early goal from Leandro Trossard.
United were up against it going into the game, with Erik ten Hag’s side still plagued by injuries and fielding their 14th different centre back pairing of the season.
Despite a better start than they managed in their 4-0 humiliation by Crystal Palace on Monday, it quickly unravelled with Trossard poking in when Casemiro struggled to get forward following a goal kick.
Neville slammed the makeshift defender for his role, insisting that the error has nothing to do with the 32-year-old playing out of position.
‘Casemiro has got some criticism recently and he’s going to get a little bit more,’ the former United defender said on Sky Sports. ‘Brilliant from Arsenal, those Arsenal fans in the corner recognise it’s been a difficult 20 minutes.
‘As soon as he goes past Amrabat, Casemiro has to get up. Look at him jog, you see that ball being played and, once he doesn’t he is in trouble. Trossard does what every good wide player does, makes that diagonal run inside the full back, Wan-Bissaka is caught out and it’s a simple one in the end.
‘Casemiro’s experience in the game, he must have seen the ball had broken down and where Havertz was, he had to get up that bit quicker.
‘There’s no doubt it’s not going to be easy for him. Before in the studio they said he needed protecting more, he’s actually had that. That is a basic error. You have to get up quicker and he ambles out and there is no excuse for that.’
