Sunderland 0-0 Man Utd: Task of replacing Casemiro will not be easy for United

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick confirmed Casemiro will be “fine” for next week’s home game against Nottingham Forest following the goalless Premier League draw at Sunderland.

It’s a positive development for United fans, who now have the chance to say a fitting farewell to the Brazilian midfielder who had such an impact during his four years at Old Trafford.

To underline, they could not win any of the four league matches this season without the 34-year-old player in the starting 11.

At least they got a point at Sunderland.

After winning the previous three matches, they sit second best behind Regis le Bris and it was easy to empathize with the Black Cats boss when he expressed his disappointment at his team’s failure to pick up all three points.

Faced with the absence of Casemiro and his assistant Manuel Ugarte missing (few at United see the Uruguayan midfielder as the permanent answer to fill the void) Carrick had few options.

He could either drop Kobbie Mainoo back to sixth and use skipper Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount as number eight, or give 19-year-old Tyler Fletcher his first senior start and leave Mainoo in the more forward position where he has been so effective since being recalled to the starting line-up following the departure of Ruben Amorim.

The truth is that he didn’t really have a choice.

It had to be Mainoo and Mount, especially as Fernandes was still chasing the assist that would see him match Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne at 20 for the best comeback in a single Premier League season.

The result was a performance from United, who failed to produce a single shot on target until Matheus Cunha’s effort was saved by Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs in injury time.

The home team had more possession, shot more and had a higher expected goals (xG). Le Bris said his side had ‘more control’.