Manchester United youngster could be big winner from Casemiro position change

If there is someone worth listening to when it comes to analysing Manchester United's midfield, it is Roy Keane.

The Irishman still sets the standard to which every subsequent midfield player is held against and he knows better than anyone about the pressure and expectation of playing such an unforgiving position.

Casemiro has been the scapegoat since United's dismal defeat to Liverpool, and although his performance was unacceptable, Erik ten Hag must also shoulder some of the blame for the systematic error to play him as a solo holding midfielder.

The 32-year-old is one of the most decorated midfielders of the modern era, and while he is quite clearly on the decline, he didn't just get bad over night and still has a role to play across the bumper season.

“I wouldn’t be writing him off yet,” Keane said on Stick to Football. “His role in the team, if he gets back in and a couple of games under his belt, might be a bit higher up the pitch. “The first thing we always say is, ‘he can’t get around the pitch’. But what we’ve seen going forward, he does have an eye for a pass. Set-pieces, how many times does he get his head on it?”

Casemiro's redemption might be in the role Kobbie Mainoo occupies now, with the teenage midfielder himself perhaps in need of a rest after a recent dip in performances, largely down to fatigue. The obvious issue is it would leave United light in defensive midfield options. Manuel Ugarte will go straight into the starting line up once he is up to speed and settled in his new environment, but he can't be expected to play there in every match across another bumper season.

Casemiro will still be the obvious replacement when Ugarte needs a rest or is unavailable, but youngster Toby Collyer could be the big winner from the position change after he made his debut last weekend.

Manchester World revealed in July the 20-year-old was set to be given a first-team role this season, with Ten Hag a huge fan of the defensive midfielder ever since he first arrived at the club. Collyer was almost immediately promoted to senior training sessions under the Dutchman, who was immediately alerted to his high potential.

Ten Hag insisted on being present when Collyer signed a new contract with the club in the summer, clear evidence of his faith in the talented midfielder. It is not the norm for the first-team manager to attend contract ceremonies for youth-team players, but he also made the exception for Mainoo when he was 17 and Alejandro Garnacho, then aged 18.

Collyer fared reasonably well when he was thrown into the spotlight on his debut against Liverpool last weekend and he can expect more opportunities in the coming weeks when the Carabao Cup and League Cup campaigns both begin.

A huge amount of patience and caution are still required for the young midfielder after his first appearance, but the fact he has already won over Ten Hag is clear evidence of the first-team role he will likely occupy for most of the season as well as his growing importance amid Casemiro's steady decline.