Jamie Carragher has conceded he misjudged Casemiro after the Brazilian delivered a standout display in Manchester United's thrilling 3-2 triumph against Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The 33-year-old netted the opening goal and created another in what proved to be yet another impressive outing ahead of his confirmed summer exit.
"It is now fair to say the football has not left him considering what he's producing this season in the Premier League," Carragher told Sky Sports after the match.
The pundit acknowledged Casemiro's performances have extended beyond just the Fulham fixture, highlighting his contributions against Arsenal away and Manchester City at home.
Jamie Carragher had blasted Casemiro two years ago and said he needed to "leave football"
| PACarragher's change of heart comes nearly two years after his scathing assessment of the midfielder went viral.
Following United's humiliating 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in May 2024, the former Liverpool defender declared that Casemiro's time at the elite level was finished.
"I always remember the saying 'leave the football before the football leaves you'. The football has left him," Carragher said at the time.
He urged the Brazilian to consider moves to MLS or Saudi Arabia, insisting the five-time Champions League winner was "too good of a player to be putting in a performance like that and being laughed at by Crystal Palace."
Casemiro has been in fine form for United recently and opened the scoring against Fulham
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The Sky Sports analyst has now offered Casemiro the opportunity to fire back at him directly.
"Casemiro is well within his rights, if he wants to come back at me and say: 'leave the punditry before the punditry has left you,' he could definitely get one of those in," Carragher admitted.
The 48-year-old also pointed to a remarkable physical transformation in the midfielder's appearance this season.
"Credit to him, he looks a completely different player. He looks a different player physically as well," he said.
"When I said that, you looked at him and he looked like an old man coming to the end of his time as a player."
Michael Carrick continues to work wonders at Manchester United | GETTYCasemiro's departure from Old Trafford was confirmed prior to United's victory at Arsenal last weekend.
Interim manager Michael Carrick explained the timing was about providing clarity, noting the decision had been made before his arrival rather than being a reactive move.
"The type of personality, the character that he is, I think it shows with his performance last week, where he is mentally and how much it means for him to be here and to finish this season strong," Carrick said.
The former Real Madrid star has been a mainstay in Carrick's preferred midfield trio alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes, a combination that has yielded three consecutive victories.