Forget the calamity keeper, what Man United need is a proper holding midfielder to challenge the Premier League's best
Arsenal have Declan Rice. Manchester City have Rodri. Tottenham have Yves Bissouma. Chelsea have Moises Caicedo. Liverpool have Alexis Mac Allister.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have a defensive midfielder who I described as a £70million panic signing last year, for which I was criticised.
Casemiro performed well last campaign. Better than I expected of the Brazilian in his 30s. But he is now injured and when he does feature, he doesn’t look like he’s got the legs to keep up with the demand of this level.
Not like Rice, or Rodri, or the other elite midfield men out there who can control proceedings. The decision to let Casemiro sign a long-term deal is looking more and more foolish because he is not the answer to the lack of protection being provided by the midfield.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana needs all the protection he can get, too, given the way he has been flapping whenever anything flies his way.
Kobbie Mainoo is an excellent prospect but he is only 18. As good as he was in that first Premier League start against Everton last weekend, he needs time to blossom.
Mainoo’s lack of experience may be why Erik ten Hag did not start him at Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday. United led 2-0, then 3-1, but unprotected, they threw it away to draw 3-3.
Bruno Fernandes tried to help out defensively, but he was the one who gave away the two free-kicks which led to goals from Hakim Ziyech.
United need a specialist protector in midfield. Someone who can act as a barrier, particularly when they have a lead.
They have dropped eight points from winning positions in the Champions League this season, remember. That’s more than any other team among Europe’s elite.
Mainoo may be the right man in time. But it would be asking too much
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