Rio Ferdinand Condemns Jamie Carragher for ‘Disrespecting’ Casemiro Following Liverpool’s Victory Over Manchester United
Rio Ferdinand has criticized Jamie Carragher for his “profoundly disrespectful” remarks about Casemiro, after the Manchester United midfielder faced scrutiny for his performance against Liverpool on Sunday.
Casemiro was substituted at halftime following a lackluster first half where he was at fault for both of Liverpool’s goals and lost possession repeatedly. Carragher described Casemiro’s display as “a disheartening sight,” but it was Carragher’s comments from May, after United’s 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, that Ferdinand found particularly offensive in the context of Sunday’s match.
“Casemiro ought to recognize tonight that he might only have three more games at the elite level,” Carragher remarked after United’s defeat to Palace. “He should focus on the next two league matches and the cup final, and then consider moving to the MLS or the Saudi league.”
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“This must end because we are witnessing one of the greats of modern football. I recall the saying, ‘leave football before it leaves you.’ The game has departed from him. At this elite level, he needs to retire and transition to a different chapter.”
Ferdinand vehemently opposed Carragher’s comments, defending Casemiro and attributing his difficulties to being deployed in an unfamiliar role by Erik ten Hag.
“I find those comments deeply disrespectful,” Ferdinand asserted. “It’s quite disheartening, especially given Casemiro’s achievements. If the criticism stems from a few mistakes, it overlooks the fact that, prior to this season, he was arguably one of Manchester United’s top performers.”
“It’s too simplistic to declare him finished or past his prime. At 32, he’s being asked to perform roles he wasn’t initially brought in for, such as making long passes and controlling the tempo of the game.”
“These are responsibilities he didn’t have at Real Madrid, where he was primarily tasked with defensive duties, intercepting, tackling, and covering gaps, before distributing the ball to others to orchestrate the play.”
