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Topics: Football, Manchester United, Casemiro, Arsenal, Transfers, Premier League
Chris Byfield
Topics: Football, Manchester United, Casemiro, Arsenal, Transfers, Premier League
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has sent a defiant message to Arsenal after Casemiro was suspended for the weekend's crucial Premier League clash.
United’s nine-match winning run came to a halt last night after Crystal Palace snatched a point through Michael Olise’s stunning 90th-minute free-kick.
While the 1-1 draw slowed the Old Trafford club’s surge up the Premier League table, they have an opportunity to return to winning ways on Sunday when they take on leaders Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s side can extend their eight-point advantage over United, who will travel to the Emirates without their talismanic £70million summer signing Casemiro.
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The midfielder picked up a yellow card with ten minutes to go against Palace for a foul on Wilfried Zaha. It was the Brazilian’s fifth booking of the season, which results in a one-match suspension.
United remain the only side to have beaten Arsenal in the Premier League this season and they did so without Casemiro, claiming a 3-1 at Old Trafford in September.
Ten Hag insisted his players would step up again in the Brazil international’s absence.
The United boss told Sky Sports: "Last time we beat Arsenal without Casemiro.
"Casemiro is obviously a really important player for us and he is one of the reasons that we are in the position that we are now.
"We have a squad and we have to fill that gap and make a proper plan and the squad has to fill it. As a team, we already showed how to beat Arsenal."
Reacting to Casemiro's challenge on Zaha, which some have claimed deserved a harsher punishment than a yellow, Ten Hag said "I think it's instinctive, he went for the ball.
"He missed the ball but it's quite clear, on our right side, it could have been a dangerous situation. He wants to stop it. That was his reaction, it was quite clear.
"Last time we beat Arsenal without Casemiro, so this time we have to do the same."