Erik ten Hag plays down Casemiro absence amid Man Utd star’s latest suspension
Manchester United will be without Casemiro in the FA Cup quarter-finals against Fulham after the Brazilian received a four-game ban for his red card against Southampton
Erik ten Hag believes his Manchester United side can thrive without Casemiro, who is suspended for this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final game against Fulham.
The Brazil international will miss the round of 16 after showing a red card in United’s last league game against Southampton. He is serving a four-game national ban after seeing red against Crystal Palace earlier in the season.
Casemiro has made a huge impression at Old Trafford since joining from Real Madrid in the summer and the Red Devils will have to adapt against the Cottagers without him. However, the United boss has stressed they have been able to perform without the 31-year-old in the past.
“We had many more games without Casemiro,” Ten Hag told reporters, with the Brazilian on the unavailable list alongside injured midfielders Donny van de Beek and Christian Eriksen. “We did really well without Casemiro.
“Against Arsenal, those two [fixtures] against Leeds, I remember all the games and I think we did really well at the beginning of the season even without Casemiro. I want Casemiro available because he has a big influence on our game.
“We also won a lot of games without Casemiro and we have to do it with other players. It’s about the players that are available.”
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The Fulham game is the first of four that United’s summer signing will miss. He will also miss the upcoming league games against Newcastle, Brentford and Everton, although his ban does not apply to the Europa League quarter-finals against Sevilla.
Former United midfielder Andreas Pereira will also take on his old club in Sunday’s cup game. The Brazilian left Old Trafford in the summer and is an integral part of Fulham’s side aiming for European qualification.
“I haven’t spoken to Ten Hag,” the 27-year-old told ESPN of his departure from Old Trafford. “I know him because I worked with him at PSV but I was determined and maybe if I spoke to the manager again I would stay. In my head I was like, ‘I have to go, I have to go feel confident and play’ and I did.
“I had a lot of memories at United; good memories, bad memories. I’ve been at the club for 10 years. I arrived when I was 16, so, you know, a little boy. It’s been an amazing ride, but I got onto the stage where I figured it might be best not to stay. I wanted to feel more loved and I wanted to play every game. What Fulham offered me and what Marco [Silva, manager] offered me, it was the perfect opportunity.”