There was certainly no shortage of drama as Manchester United played out a thrilling 2-2 draw with Lyon on Thursday night, with the Europa League first-leg tussle living up to the billing following some notable pre-match jibes.
Much of the talk heading into the trip to France, of course, was centred around the war of words between Andre Onana and former United man, Nemanja Matic, with the Serbian giant branding the current Red Devils star “one of the worst keepers in Man Utd history” during the pre-match press conference.
Onana – who had ignited such criticism after stating that Ruben Amorim’s side are “way better” than their opponents – proceeded to hit back with a reference to the lack of silverware that Matic was able to achieve at Old Trafford, with the Cameroonian posting an image of him holding the FA Cup trophy aloft on his social media accounts.
That trading of verbal blows set things up nicely for the game itself, although while Lyon’s veteran midfielder watched on from the from the bench, United’s first-choice goalkeeper continued to dominate the headlines, having been arguably at fault for both of the hosts’ goals.
Talk is now rife regarding the 28-year-old’s future at Old Trafford – amid claims he could be dropped for Sunday’s clash away at Newcastle United – with it looking as if the former Inter star could even be on his way this summer, after just two years in Manchester.
Matic, meanwhile, may be hoping to be involved in Thursday’s reverse fixture, with the 36-year-old seeking to get one over on his former employers.
Nemanja Matic's Man Utd record
Following in the footsteps of the likes of Juan Mata before him, the towering midfielder was plucked from rivals Chelsea on a £40m deal in the summer of 2017, with the one-time Benfica star having just played his part in claiming Premier League title glory under Antonio Conte.
The ability to snap up a then-28-year-old Matic appeared to be a real coup for Jose Mourinho and co, not least with the aforementioned Conte seemingly displeased at the nature of the sale, having described the exit as a “great loss” for the Blues.
Having ultimately decided to reunite with Mourinho, the left-footer – who ranks fifth with regard to appearances made under the Portuguese coach in his managerial career – went on to rack up 189 appearances in all competitions for United over the next five years, while scoring four goals and registering 11 assists.
A pillar in the United midfield in those early years, he was even dubbed an “island of personality and desire and control” by his manager following a narrow FA Cup win over Brighton in 2018, with Mourinho singling him out in relation to his underwhelming colleagues.
As stated, such displays could not inspire the Red Devils to any form of silverware, although Matic certainly had his moments, including netting a stunning long-range volley to seal a 3-2 win away at Crystal Palace in 2018.
Frustratingly, however, the subsequent arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw the oft-maligned Fred and Scott McTominay partnership take precedence, with the ageing Matic becoming ‘something of an issue”, as per The Athletic’s Carl Anka, due to his lack of mobility.
There were still moments of quality, prior to his exit on a free transfer in 2022, with the 48-cap international memorably teeing up Cristiano Ronaldo with a delightful dink in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in that final campaign.
As Anka noted, while he may have been a ‘flawed signing’, when the now-veteran ‘was good, he was very good’, with his experience and quality shining through, even as his athletic qualities began to fade.
Could history be repeating itself with Casemiro?
Man Utd have now unlocked the new Nemanja Matic
In many ways, the capture of the Brazilian mirrors the signing of Matic, with United – then managed by Erik ten Hag – moving to land the Real Madrid man on a £70m deal in 2022, having been in need of a short-term, instant fix at the base of the midfield.
Games (starts)
28 (24)
36 (35)
Goals
4
1
Assists
3
1
Big chances created
7
2
Key passes*
1.0
0.7
Pass accuracy*
79%
88%
Dribbled past*
1.6
1.3
Tackles*
3.2
1.9
Interceptions*
1.2
1.8
Total duels won*
55%
58%
Again, like Matic, Casemiro did enjoy a fruitful first season at the Theatre of Dreams, as the Red Devils finished third and claimed Carabao Cup glory, with the serial-winning star even scoring the opener in that Wembley showpiece.
As the £350k-per-week star has since admitted himself, that 2022/23 campaign was individually the “best season” of his entire career, with Ten Hag dubbing him the “cement” in the side due to the influential nature of his displays.
Frustratingly for all concerned, the 33-year-old has been unable to build on that early promise amid United’s collective woes since then, with pundit Jamie Redknapp even suggesting last season that Casemiro looked like “he’s in Soccer Aid”, amid the dire nature of his displays.
Former Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher also famously suggested that the ex-Madrid man should “leave the football before the football leaves you”, with Casemiro going on to play a bit-part role in the early knockings of the current campaign.
Speculation continues to link the ageing talent with a move away from Old Trafford, despite his public desire to see out his contract, although in recent weeks, he has begun to find his groove again under Amorim.
Like Matic, the mobility may no longer be there, although Casemiro continues to show his class when utilised correctly, having notably put in a “monster shift” in the recent Manchester derby, as per Statman Dave, after winning 11 tackles on the day.
Even despite his age, the one-time Porto man appears to have ousted Manuel Ugarte as Amorim’s go-to figure in the midfield two, with the United boss admitting that he is now “learning how to use” the Selecao star.
The old cliche of ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ certainly applies in the case of Casemiro, much like Matic before him, with Amorim wise to be maximising everything he can out of a player who has enjoyed such a storied, successful career to date.
Yes, the legs may have gone, but as that derby display, in particular, showcased, the fight remains. There’s life in the old dog yet…
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