Manchester United fans have expressed their frustration with Casemiro on X, formerly known as Twitter, following his underwhelming performance in the team’s 1-2 loss to Arsenal. The match, held as a pre-season friendly at the SoFi Stadium on Saturday, July 27, saw two Premier League powerhouses go head-to-head.
Manchester United got off to a promising start when Rasmus Hojlund found the back of the net just ten minutes into the game, giving the Red Devils an early lead. However, their fortunes took a turn for the worse as Hojlund was forced to leave the field due to an injury just six minutes later. Arsenal quickly capitalized on this setback, with Gabriel Jesus equalizing in the 26th minute. To compound Manchester United’s woes, new summer signing Leny Yoro also limped off with an injury in the 35th minute, further depleting their squad.
The decisive moment came in the 81st minute when Gabriel Martinelli scored for Arsenal, securing the win and handing Manchester United their second defeat in three pre-season matches. Casemiro, the former Real Madrid star, struggled throughout the first half and was substituted at halftime. His performance drew criticism from fans, who noted that he failed to create any chances, was dribbled past twice, and lost three duels, often being overrun in the midfield.
Casemiro’s struggles at Manchester United have not gone unnoticed, and there are rumors linking him to a potential move to the Saudi Pro League this summer. Fans on X did not hold back in their critiques. One fan bluntly stated, “Casemiro needs to retire,” while another quipped, “Casemiro is so slow now, slower than a snail. He needs to be shipped to Greece or Saudi before the season starts.” The criticism continued with fans expressing their dissatisfaction with his performance, suggesting that the club should seek alternatives like Zubimendi, Ugarte, or Fofana.
The disappointment among Manchester United supporters is palpable, with some expressing frustration over Casemiro’s inconsistent passing and the impact it has on his position. One fan lamented, “Our attack was really solid yesterday, but the midfield struggled to retain possession and progress the ball. Hannibal, McTominay, Maguire, Casemiro, and Antony are rubbish,” while another added, “Casemiro must be sold quickly.”
Arsenal, on the other hand, rebounded from a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth to claim victory over Manchester United. The statistics from the pre-season friendly reveal that Arsenal enjoyed 58% possession compared to Manchester United’s 42%. Arsenal also attempted more passes, with 449 passes at an accuracy rate of 84%, while the Red Devils attempted 323 passes at a 76% accuracy rate.
Despite the loss of Hojlund early in the first half, Manchester United managed to create more attacking opportunities, recording ten shots in total, three of which were on target. In contrast, Arsenal had six shots, also with three on target.
As the pre-season continues, Manchester United will look to regroup and improve in their upcoming friendly against Real Betis on Wednesday, July 31. Meanwhile, Arsenal will face Liverpool on the same day, hoping to build on their recent success.