Gary Neville warns INEOS about ‘very difficult’ Man Utd midfielder as teammate branded a ‘joke’ vs Aston Villa
Gary Neville raved about Manchester United midfielders Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes while watching them in action against Aston Villa at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.
Man Utd bounced back from the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park in their last Premier League match with a deserved 3-1 win against Villa at Old Trafford.
All four goals in the match came in the second half, with Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko on target for Michael Carrick’s side.
Casemiro, who started alongside Kobbie Mainoo in defensive midfield in a 4-2-3-1 formation, found the back of the net in the 53rd minute with a glancing header from Bruno Fernandes‘ corner.
It was Casemiro’s seventh Premier League goal for Man Utd this season, with Fernandes assisting five of those.
Former Man Utd and Villa striker Dion Dublin was hugely impressed and said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “You know what they say: ‘His legs have gone.’
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“The knowledge of the footballer, the skill and the way he executes things. It is an incredible header from Casemiro.
“An out-swinging cross which makes the header easier, but to execute that header with such accuracy is just amazing.”
Gary Neville was on Sky Sports co-commentary duty for the match, and the former Man Utd right-back warned that Casemiro’s departure will leave a hole in the team.
Casemiro announced in January 2026 that he will leave Man Utd at the end of the season.
Neville said about Casemiro after he scored: “I said it in the first half. Whilst they might replace him positionally in midfield, he’s going to be very difficult to replace in both boxes because he is sensational getting first contact on headers.”
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Casemiro’s performances for Man Utd under interim-manager Carrick have been brilliant, and the Old Trafford faithful chanted for the former Real Madrid star to sign a new one-year deal.
While Man Utd co-owners, INEOS, might still try to convince Casemiro, it does not seem likely that the Brazilian star will change his mind.
BBC Sport Chief Football News Reporter Simon Stone noted: “There was a lot of badge pointing by Casemiro in front of the Stretford End after he scored for Manchester United.
“The Stretford End has responded by singing ‘one more year, Casemiro’.
“I don’t think it will happen. But, as I said before, he will be a big miss.”
While Casemiro was brilliant against Villa, the Brazilian midfielder was outshone in the match by his Man Utd team-mate Fernandes, who also provided the assist for Matheus Cunha’s goal in the 71st minute.
That was the Portuguese attacking midfielder’s 100th assist for Man Utd in all competitions, and Neville could not contain himself.
Neville said about Fernandes after his assist for Cunha: “Bruno Fernandes, his assists and his contributions towards goals are a joke.
“Just watch there. He just runs offside, Mbeumo, but Cunha doesn’t, and the pass from Bruno Fernandes, we are right behind it, so we could see what he was looking at, and it’s a beautiful pass.
“And the finish is special, it really is. We almost think of Thierry Henry with that one.”
The two assists for Fernandes against Villa have taken his tally to 16 in the Premier League for the season.
This means that the Portuguese star has broken David Beckham’s record of 15 assists in the Premier League for Man Utd in the 1999/00 campaign.
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