Rio Ferdinand hits back at 'highly disrespectful' Jamie Carragher over Man Utd 'scapegoat'

The Red Devils have found their spark again going forward, and also look much more sturdy at the back. Brazilian star Casemiro has enjoyed a resurgence of his own and is starting to remind fans why United paid £60million for his services three years ago.

The 33-year-old won five Champions Leagues during his trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid, and has shown glimpses this season that he can almost emulate that form.

And Ferdinand claimed the “old Casemiro” could be returning for United in a recent episode of the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

“He built a stellar career, a five-time Champions League-winning career on the back of being the glue, the person that knitted the backline and midfield together and just plugged the gaps,” the former United defender said.

“He wasn't asked to run all over the place or be a creator. He was the one who was mopping up and doing all the dirty work and marshalling an area. And recently this is what we've seen, we've seen something like the old Casemiro.”

But it hasn’t always been that way.

Rewind 18 months, and United were in disarray under former boss Erik Ten Hag, and Casemiro had taken much of the criticism during what was his second campaign at the club.

No game typified the problems at the club more emphatically than their 4-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in May of last year. Casemiro started the game in an unfamiliar centre-back position with veteran Jonny Evans.

Carragher then went viral online for his blistering criticism of the Brazilian following the end of the match, saying: “Casemiro should know himself tonight, as an experienced player, that he should only have another three games left at the top level - the next two league games and then the cup final.

“Then he needs to be thinking, ‘I need to go to the MLS or to Saudi.’ I’m deadly serious.

“I always remember something when I retired myself, there’s a saying that as a footballer: ‘Leave the football, before the football leaves you.’ The football has left him - he needs to call it a day.”

And after their recent hot streak of form, Ferdinand was quick to remind his former England team-mate of his comments, calling the criticism “highly disrespectful” and saying he feels Casemiro has often been a “scapegoat” for United’s problems.

“I said at the time I thought it was highly disrespectful [from Carragher] when you're talking about a five-time Champions League winner who is going through maybe a changing approach to football at a time where he looked out of sorts,” the six-time Premier League winner continued.

"Leave the football, before the football leaves you" 🏟️

What made Jamie Carragher deliver this iconic line this year? 💭 pic.twitter.com/OWx6WGcjej

— Sky Sports (@SkySports) December 30, 2024

“Players lose confidence, players lose form. But I think the call was too early, and it was highly disrespectful for someone that has achieved so much in the game.

“We're very fond of finding a scapegoat, but sometimes you have to look at the way the team is playing and say is that impacting the team negatively or is it the player who has gone?

“And I think by looking at how the system has been tweaked in the approach and you're seeing the benefits in someone like Casemiro.

This isn't a 20-game sequence so we're not going to go too crazy but the games we've seen, there's been an upturn in form.

“You don't win five Champions Leagues without resilience, character and work ethic. Now, he's the reference point for any player that's going through a hard time at this football club.”

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