Manchester United seems to have encountered a last-minute injury setback before their FA Cup quarter-final clash with Liverpool today (15:30 GMT).
Liverpool is heading to Old Trafford with ambitions to progress in their pursuit of a quadruple this season.
Under Jurgen Klopp, the team is experiencing an impressive run, in stark contrast to United’s current struggles. Positioned sixth in the Premier League standings, the FA Cup represents United’s final chance at securing any silverware this campaign.
Casemiro’s Absence: A Blow to United’s Midfield
However, Manchester United is likely to face Liverpool without their pivotal midfielder Casemiro.
The acclaimed five-time Champions League victor was removed from Brazil’s squad for the upcoming international break and replaced by Porto’s forward Pepe. This move indicates Casemiro’s absence in the crucial quarter-final match against Liverpool.
Brazil’s coach, Dorival Junior, commented: “We have just received a report from Dr. Rodrigo Lasmar. From a pre-list made by the Brazilian National Team’s technical committee with 50 names, 13 of them were already away due to injury at their clubs.
“Unfortunately, we also lost Casemiro. Therefore, Pepê, from Porto, a native striker who now plays as a midfielder, is called up.”
How crucial is Casemiro to Man Utd?
Casemiro has netted 1 goal in 15 Premier League matches during the 2023/2024 season, with one goal scored at home and none away.
His goals-per-90-minute ratio stands at 0.08. Additionally, he has contributed to a total of 2 goals (goals + assists), averaging a goal involvement of 0.15 per 90 minutes. His Non-Penalty Expected Goals (npxG) per 90 minutes is 0.15, placing him in the top 66 percent of Premier League players with an npxG output of 1.97.
In terms of shooting, Casemiro has taken 19 shots, with 6 on target and 13 off target, resulting in a shooting accuracy of 31.58%. On average, he scores a goal for every 19.00 shots attempted and takes 1.45 shots per 90 minutes.
As for his passing contributions, Casemiro has assisted 1 goal in 15 matches, displaying a passing rate of approximately 56.19 times per game with an 83.33% pass completion rate.
He also delivers 0.84 key passes per game, creating significant scoring opportunities. His Expected Assists (xA) output is 0.16 per 90 minutes, ranking him above 54 percent of Premier League players in this aspect.
United and Liverpool’s Roster Updates
Despite this setback, United anticipates the return of Rasmus Hojlund, Harry Maguire, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the match against Liverpool. Additionally, Mason Mount has resumed training earlier this week.
On the Liverpool front, Ryan Gravenberch is expected to make a comeback, likely from the bench, after missing the last five matches due to ankle ligament damage.
However, Ibrahima Konate is expected to miss his third consecutive game.