Tim Sherwood names two Man Utd players who have ‘caught the Casemiro bug’

Tim Sherwood insists Man Utd duo Kobbie Mainoo and Christian Eriksen have “caught the Casemiro bug” after watching them in a 1-1 draw against Burnley.

Things have gone off the boil since the Red Devils won the Carabao Cup, reached the FA Cup final and finished third in the Premier League during a promising first season under the Dutchman.

Man Utd are scrapping for Europa League qualification having already blown their Champions League hopes, with May’s FA Cup final against Manchester City offering a chance to end a poor campaign on a high.

That may not prove enough to keep Erik ten Hag in the job under ambitious INEOS, who watched the Red Devils surrender another advantage in Saturday’s home draw with struggling Burnley.

Casemiro, who has been deployed at centre-back in recent weeks, is just one of a number of players who has been criticised at Man Utd this campaign with the Brazilian picked out as being lazy at times.

And now former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood reckons Man Utd youngster Mainoo and Denmark international Eriksen are now demonstrating similar traits to the former Real Madrid midfielder.

READ MORE: Deluded Ten Hag: Man Utd ‘one of most dynamic and entertaining teams in Premier League’

Sherwood said on Sky Sports: “Another bad performance. Another performance without any style or playing identity. No DNA, which Dan Ashworth will be looking for when he comes in and Jason Wilcox.

“They’ve got their work cut out there, that’s for sure. They need to see a playing identity. Ten Hag has not just come into the job, he’s been there long enough. He has his own players.

“I can’t see what they do. In possession, they are all about moments and out of possession they are a shambles. They really are. The worrying thing is that the midfield does not run, when the ball gets played behind them their heads start wobbling.

“That’s down to the manager telling them and identifying it. Kobbie Mainoo, I like him, I really like him, but he has caught the Casemiro bug where he is jogging around the pitch. Christian Eriksen is the same – he is one of the most honest players you’re ever going to find.

“I think it is a culture there. Not willing to run. They aren’t running enough. They need to be able to run.

“If I was Kobbie’s agent or youth-team coach I would say to him, ‘when you first went into the team you ran around with a desire. You’re not doing that at the moment. Don’t fall into the trap of what they’re doing, you don’t have good examples there’.

“Manchester United want to be like Arsenal and Man City but they are miles away from that.”