‘He didn’t leave at half-time’: Ten Hag backs Casemiro

Erik ten Hag insisted Casemiro can remain an important player for Manchester United despite replacing him at half-time after a dismal display in Sunday’s damaging 3-0 home defeat to rivals Liverpool.

Casemiro lost the ball in the build-up to both of Liverpool’s first-half goals, each scored by Luis Diaz with an assist from Mohamed Salah, with the latter scoring the visitors’ third early in the second half.

Casemiro was hauled off at the break, replaced by the 20-year-old Toby Collyer, who was making his Premier League debut.