Rio Ferdinand has hit out at Jamie Carragher over his ‘disrespect’ of a Manchester United star who’s proven him wrong under Ruben Amorim this season.
Having looked destined for the sack after a 3-1 defeat to Brentford a month ago, three Premier League wins on the bounce has given Amorim some breathing space at Old Trafford with United now fifth in the table.
And with praise being readily afforded to summer signing Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens in recent weeks, Ferdinand hailed Casemiro for his rejuvenation this term.
“Casemiro’s game is not about chasing high up the pitch constantly,” the former United defender said on Rio Ferdinand Presents.
“He built a stellar career on the back of being the glue, the person that knitted the back line and the midfield together and just plug the gaps. He wasn’t asked to run all over the place or be a creator. He was asked to get it and give it to the people that can create.
“He might have scored the odd goal here and there when he went a bit loose, but he was the one who was mopping up and doing all the dirty work and being able to stay in an area and marshal that area.
“Recently, this is what we’ve seen. He’s looked something like the old Casemiro.”
Casemiro impressed in his first season for United after making his £70m move from Real Madrid, but two poor seasons followed for the Brazilian, who has been heavily linked with the Old Trafford exit throughout that inauspicious spell.
And Carragher urged Casemiro to “call it day” after a particularly poor display in a 4-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in May 2024.
“Leave the football, before the football leaves you,” he said. “The football has left him at this top level. He has to call it a day at this level of football and move.”
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But of the 16 goals United have conceded this season, just three of them have come with Casemiro on the pitch, and Ferdinand has used this evidence of his revival to aim a jab at Carragher.
“It takes me back to what was said by Jamie Carragher about, ‘leave the football’,” Ferdinand continued.
“I said at the time, I thought it was highly disrespectful when you’re talking about a five-time Champions League winner who’s going through a change in approach to football, going through a time where he looked out of sorts.
“Players lose confidence, they lose form, sometimes players’ legs go, but I think the call was too early and I thought it was highly disrespectful for someone who’s achieved so much in the game.
“Sometimes you’ve got to look beyond just trying to find an individual. We’re very fond of finding a scapegoat. Sometimes you got to look at the way a team is playing and work out is that impacting a player negatively or is it actually the player who’s gone?
“I think by looking at the way that the system’s changed a little bit and been tweaked, you’re seeing the benefits for someone like Casemiro.
“Amorim spoke glowingly about him, about his character, his resilience. You don’t win five Champions Leagues without those two aspects in your makeup.
“Now he’s the reference point for any player that’s going through a hard time at this football club.”
