Casemiro scored his third and fourth goals for Man Utd in their FA Cup win over Reading and spoke after the game in the mixed zone.

Casemiro thanks Antony

“It’s no Copacabana, eh?” Erik ten Hag smiled. The murky Manchester weather was never likely to deter Casemiro, the defensive midfielder’s two goals taken with the expertise of an attacker.

Whatever the weather and whoever the opponent, Casemiro’s play is as smooth as the sand on Brazil’s most famous beach. After he swept in his second of the night against Reading, he smiled knowingly at his swift withdrawal by Ten Hag. United counted the cost of an absent Casemiro at Arsenal.

Almost an hour after full-time, a freshly showered and tracksuited Casemiro strides into a drafty and deserted concourse that doubles as a mixed zone. His handshake is as firm as one of his tackles.

“Last time I scored twice in the same match was against Sevilla at Bernabéu and we won 2-1,” he recalls. “I’m happy about tonight especially for helping the team. My main job is to give more balance to the defence, help my teammates, give more quality to the build-up, but to score is also important and satisfying.”

Casemiro claimed his third and fourth goals for United in their 3-1 FA Cup fifth round win over Reading. Lee Dixon, the co-commentator for broadcasters ITV, contrarily selected Antony as his man of the match.

That prompted many mystified mutterings among the United supporters around the ground. They had put their hands together twice for Casemiro’s goals and a final time upon his removal.

Casemiro selflessly celebrated his first by requesting acclaim for Antony’s precise pass, pointing to his compatriot. Antony has enjoyed few better weeks for United than this one. Dubbed “predictable” by Gary Neville at Arsenal, he has since been anything but.

“Every goal that we score is a result of a collective effort,” Casemiro explains. “Every goal we concede is a collective consequence, there’s no individual error in this squad, we’re together.

“On my first goal, Antony’s pass was incredible. I know that people focus on who scored, but I wanted to give him a bit of love as the pass was magic. He’s an important player for us.”

Casemiro thanks Antony

Casemiro has started 16 times for United and they have lost only two since his £70million transfer from Real Madrid was completed on that balmy Monday night in August. Ten Hag and Casemiro have forged a driven alliance, with the latter taken aback by his manager’s obsession with winning. Ten Hag has not spoken about a United player more glowingly than Casemiro.

Yet Ten Hag waited seven weeks to start the Brazilian in the league. United won three of the first four domestic games Casemiro emerged in but the final one – at City – exposed their absence of a shield for the defence.

“When you arrive at a new club, you always dream of making history,” Casemiro says. “Especially if we see the greatness of this club. We know the history.

“But of course, I was aware of needing some time to adapt and of the rivals having a long-term plan before ours, like Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, they all have managers that have been there for a while and, therefore, they have an advantage.

Casemiro speaks in the mixed zone

“I’m happy with my adaptation here, my teammates and the staff are really helping me. Also with the English language, it’s been quite hard but I’m really trying to get better.

“Everyone here has been lovely with me and since the first day I feel at home here. I appreciate all the effort that the club has done to bring me here, John (Murtough) included.

“I’m very comfortable at Man Utd, extremely happy to be here and enjoying every moment like a 15-year-old kid! But the most important is to see the team growing.

“I’m grateful for the compliments I’ve been receiving, but the key to all of that is: I’m really enjoying myself here. I’m very happy and I do feel at home. So I want to thank the fans, the players, the staff, the board. I can only be grateful.

Casemiro celebrates his first goal against Reading

“We know we’re progressing within a plan, step by step we’re building a well-structured team and this is important. To win titles in the future, you have to build a solid foundation.”

Casemiro is accustomed to competing on four fronts from his garlanded eight years with Real Madrid. United will almost soon have to book a London hotel for the League Cup final weekend and they are into the last 16 of the FA Cup.

Barcelona await in a highly anticipated Europa League play-off and United occupy a Champions League qualifying place in the Premier League table. Casemiro is conscious the team is still developing.

“We have to see what the reality is and we are still club under construction,” he cautions. “Of course, we are already respected, the opponents know we’re strong, that we have good dynamics, the manager is doing a good job, the players as well. Man Utd is a big club. In my opinion, if we look at the titles, it’s the biggest in England.

“In our lives, we have to have goals and challenges. It was a challenge for me to keep growing and developing in my career. The job is on with a lot of humility by knowing there’s a lot to improve, but all the players need to be congratulated now.

“We’re on a good path. This is the way to win titles, but we need to keep growing.”

source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/