David de Gea acknowledges that Casemiro’s three-game suspension will present a difficult challenge for Manchester United. However, he has faith in Marcel Sabitzer’s ability to alleviate the mounting crisis in the midfield. Casemiro will miss United’s upcoming Premier League games against Leeds (home and away) and Leicester City, as a result of his red card for violent conduct during their 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The suspension of Casemiro has added to the mounting crisis in Manchester United’s midfield. The 30-year-old was dismissed for grabbing Will Hughes around the neck during a scuffle between both teams. The red card was shown by referee Andre Marriner after consulting VAR and the pitchside monitor.
This suspension comes at a time when Christian Eriksen is already out for three months with an ankle injury. To fill the gap, United made a late loan move for Marcel Sabitzer in the final hours before the January transfer deadline. Scott McTominay is also out with a muscle injury.
David de Gea believes that Sabitzer’s addition can help ease the pressure caused by the absence of first-choice midfielders. He admits that it will be tough but he saw enough from Sabitzer’s debut as a late substitute in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace to suggest that he can be a helpful addition.
“It’s going to be tough, for sure. We lost Christian and now Casemiro, big players for us, but we have a bigger squad, players are ready to play, everyone is really focused,” says De Gea.
De Gea praised Sabitzer’s performance and called him an experienced and friendly guy who is already getting along with the team. He is still waiting to perform his initiation song but De Gea says he is already a great addition to the dressing room.
The United goalkeeper appeared to criticize the red card shown to Casemiro in a tweet after the game, but he declined to elaborate on his thoughts on the decision. “I prefer not to talk because if I do, I’m in trouble,” says De Gea.
