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“Leave the football before it leaves you.”

That scathing assessment of Casemiro by Jamie Carragher in May 2024, following Manchester United’s humiliating 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, has become etched into English football’s lexicon.

But it left an equally indelible mark in the Brazilian’s mind as well, one he became hellbent on disproving with no intention of departing Old Trafford in favour of an easy retirement home in the MLS or the Saudi Pro League.

Eighteen months on, it’s evident that while Casemiro’s legs may have left him, his ability with a football at his feet certainly has not. For the 36,189th time in Carragher’s life, the pundit was off the mark, even if there was a mountain of evidence to suggest he wasn’t.

Casemiro enjoyed a stellar debut campaign in English football after his blockbuster £70 million switch from Real Madrid in 2022.

Despite having won every major trophy on numerous occasions at the Santiago Bernabeu, Casemiro’s role was somewhat limited by the presence of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos either side of him – two of the best ball-playing midfielders of their generation.

At United, however, when deployed alongside players like Scott McTominay, Fred...