Manchester United has been hit with a major injury blow as both Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez are expected to be sidelined until Christmas. United manager Erik ten Hag confirmed that Casemiro, who has been a vital player for his side, suffered a hamstring injury in a recent match against Newcastle. it was initially anticipated that he would be out for a few weeks, but his recovery is now said to be taking longer than expected. Martinez, on the other hand, has been dealing with an ongoing foot problem that was worsened during their game against Arsenal in September. 
Lisandro Martinez injury against Arsenal – Getty image Ten Hag had expressed his concerns about their injuries, stating, “Casemiro and Martinez are really strong injuries, I don’t expect them back before Christmas.” The absence of these key players for Manchetser United, add to their woes as, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, and Amad Diallo are also currently unavailable. Recall also, Jadon Sancho remains sidelined following a public dispute with the Ten Hag. Meanwhile, in light of these injuries, the Sun UK reports that there is possibility that the Red Devils will consider a transfer move for Guido Rodriguez of Real Betis as a potential long-term midfield option to bolster their squad.
United suffered a huge blow in the first half of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Southampton. The Red Devils lost Casemiro to a red card for a studs-up tackle on Alcarez. The Brazilian was initially booked for the tackle but the yellow card was upgraded to a red after a VAR review. The sending off is Casemiro’s second of the season which means he will be hit with a four-game ban. 
Following the match, Antony took to Twitter to send a heartfelt message to his teammate. He posted: “We will always be together brother. Raise your head, we have a lot ahead of us.” Estaremos sempre juntos, irmão!! Levanta a cabeça, temos muito pela frente!! 👊🏽👊🏽 @Casemiro pic.twitter.com/QiSQmF50oP — Antony Santos (@antony00) March 12, 2023 This would be a big blow to Erik ten Hag and United as Casemiro has become a key player for the Red Devils in his first season at the club. The Brazilian will now miss United’s next four games including the FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham and Premier League matches against Newcastle, Brentford and Everton after the international break. 
Casemiro was shown the red card for choking Crystal Palace’s midfielder Will Hughes in a brawl which occurred during the match which ended 2-1 in favour of the Red Devils. The contact with Hughes’ neck was brief, but still enough for a red card. He will now miss United’s next three matches as a result of his actions. Reacting to the incident, Agbonlahor said the police should be brought in. He told talkSPORTS; 
“Casemiro thought he was Brock Lesnar back in the UFC. The way he was strangling Will Hughes, he should be arrested for that. Kids are watching that later on, on Match of the Day. Seeing Casemiro strangling an opponent.” The football pundit’s statement triggered some reactions on social media. Here are some; 
TagsCasemiro Gabriel Agbonlahor