Since Casemiro’s return to the team from a relatively long-term injury, the Brazilian has primarily been paired with Kobbie Mainoo in the midfield pivot.
However, the result of this has been that Mainoo’s influence on the team has significantly been diminished.
Before Casemiro’s return to competitive action, Mainoo was primarily deployed as United’s deepest-lying midfielder.
Not only was the Englishman tasked with protecting and shielding the back four, but he was also given the responsibility of taking the ball from the defenders and distributing it high up the pitch.
Mainoo acted as the primary link between the backline and the rest of his teammates. He excelled at this role and earned rave reviews for his calm and composed performances.
He especially seemed very comfortable and assured in his passing and evading the press from opposition players.
Whatever little control United had during matches seemed to come from the sensational Mainoo.
However, his contributions seem to have become reduced following Casemiro’s reintegration into Erik ten Hag’s starting XI.
Unsurprisingly, Casemiro has assumed his favoured and natural CDM position, which has translated into Mainoo playing higher up the pitch.
Because of this, the Carrington academy graduate has witnessed a dramatic drop in the number of touches of the ball and passes he manages per game.
The numbers also back this observation.
While Casemiro was sidelined, Mainoo played with other midfield partners in games against Everton, West Ham (at the London Stadium), Aston Villa (at Old Trafford), Wigan Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur.
In all five matches, on only one occasion did a midfield teammate register more passes and touches than Mainoo – Christian Eriksen vs. Villa on Boxing Day.
During that fixture, Eriksen managed six more touches and one more successful pass in comparison to Mainoo.
Here’s how many touches and successful passes Mainoo had to his name in the games he played without Casemiro. Also included are the touches and passes of the midfield partner he slotted next to.
(Source: UtdDistrict YouTube channel)
The next set of stats shows the number of touches and successful passes Mainoo managed while playing alongside Casemiro.
(Source: UtdDistrict YouTube channel)
The youngster’s impact on matches is evidently reduced when he’s higher up the pitch than when he’s in the deepest midfield position.
While next to Casemiro, Mainoo averages significantly fewer touches and passes. His attributes are not well utilized.
Casemiro even has more touches and passes than Mainoo, which has proven to be counter-productive considering the five-time Champions League winner is not the most secure star in possession.
He has a knack for attempting a Hollywood chipped pass, unlike Mainoo whose first instinct is controlling the tempo of proceedings and retaining the ball.
During United’s most recent clash against Everton, Casemiro was poor and more than once, his poor pass put the team in dangerous positions.
The Toffees fully exploited his weaknesses on the ball but fortunately for United, lacked the quality to cause too much damage.
It’s clear that United are best served by deploying Mainoo in a deep-lying role as opposed to using him higher up. Ten Hag must urgently restore the Englishman to where he excels best as United are a better collective unit for it.
Even heading into the summer transfer window, this is something club bosses should have in mind as they seek to bolster Ten Hag’s options in the middle of the park.
