CASE CLOSED
Casemiro slams ‘disrespectful’ criticism amid Man Utd struggles after star was urged to quit the club
The Red Devils finished the Premier League season in a record position
CASEMIRO has had a pop back at his critics, branding some of his flak as “disrespectful”.
The Manchester United star, 32, has regularly been criticised by Sky pundit Jamie Carragher, who claimed the Brazilian’s “legs had gone” as far back as October.
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Casemiro, who won the Champions League five times with Real Madrid, admitted he has had a “challenging” season due to injury to himself and other United players.
But he also told Sky: "Criticism is part of football. And I’m always very calm, especially with the criticism.
"When it’s constructive criticism, it’s always welcomed.
"Especially in football, when you’ve been playing at a high level for ten years and you drop your level a little, the criticism will come.
"But from the moment when you feel disrespected, I don’t think it’s right.
"And that is when I lose respect for those people.
"Even if you look towards the end of last season, the team was playing well with plenty of positive comments.
"So what happened? I was considered one of the best signings of the Premier League last season, and now I’m not worth anything anymore?
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"The criticism is disrespectful.
"So, when it’s lacking respect, then it’s worrying, and I don’t have to respect that either.
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“But there is always going to be criticism in football, especially playing for such a long time, people want to criticise.
"But from the moment when it lacks respect, that’s when you lose my respect.”
Man United ended the league season with a 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
However, due to Newcastle's win over Brentford it condemned the club to an 8th placed finish, the worst in the Premier League era.
The club's last hope of achieving European football next season will be by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25.
Man Utd must pay back fans
ERIK TEN HAG says Manchester United must pay back their world-class fans with an FA Cup triumph after their awful league season, writes Tom Barclay.
United came eighth which was their lowest-ever finish despite winning 2-0 on the final day at Brighton.
They also came away from a miserable campaign with a negative goal difference - but still can win a trophy when they take on Manchester City in next week’s cup final.
The away fans roared themselves hoarse just as they have done all term despite the poor results.
Boss Ten Hag said: “We have the best fans in the world and I mean this.
“I have never had this experience when you have a season like us, which is by far not good enough, that the supporters are with us.
“They are with us in the bad season and in bad times they are there. I think also they know why the bad times are there.
“But we have to pay them back and we have to do everything to give them a trophy next week but also for the future, we have to perform better.”
United won thanks to late goals from Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund.
But for the second game running, Hojlund began the match on the bench as United opted for a false nine - in a hint over how United will set up in the cup final.
That was how they played in March’s 3-1 defeat to City at the Etihad in the league, too.
Ten Hag added: “It’s a luxury problem. Both formations can be a success because we can set up like we did at the Etihad where we were a threat with movement in behind.
“But of course with Rasmus Hojlund in this form it’s absolutely a consideration and a thought that we have to consider.
“You need not only 11 players in a tough final but a bench as well.”
Hojlund’s tally now stands at 16 goals in his maiden season after the 21-year-old arrived from Atalanta for £72million last summer.
Reflecting on the Dane’s campaign, Ten Hag observed: “It could always be better but don't forget he had three injuries this season.
“He came in with the injury, missed the start, then he got injured before winter and then he got injured after winter. So every time that broke his rhythm and if you then shoot 16 goals for the first season it's OK. And it's not over, we have to play the FA Cup final.”
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