Casemiro is already showing why Manchester United signed him

Casemiro's impact

There were just 10 minutes remaining when Casemiro was summoned for his Manchester United debut and it felt like perfect timing to introduce the Brazilian master of the defensive midfield role.

It had been an even game until United took the lead, but since then Southampton had turned up the pressure and Erik ten Hag's team were clinging on a little.

Casemiro is almost perfect for these situations and his first contribution was to win a calm header and keep possession in central midfield. A couple of minutes later the 30-year-old dropped back at a goal kick to tell Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez to move up the field and instruct David de Gea to go long.

READ MORE: United player ratings vs Southampton

Shortly after he was out to block a shot and by now the away end were already singing his name. This wasn't a vintage performance from United but their new defensive midfielder helped them get over the line. He feels like just what they need.

The Fernandes paradox

Ten Hag's midfield options might not be as he envisaged them at the start of this transfer window but he still has a modicum of competition and some tricky decisions coming up.

It's clear Casemiro slots into Ten Hag's best midfield when he is up to speed and there's an argument his link-up and understanding with Fred at international level makes the two Brazilians worth a look together.

Playing those two with a playmaker in front of them looks like a reasonable midfield and that could mean competition between Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes.

Ten Hag has been keen on multifunctional midfielders and Fred and Eriksen fit that bill more than Fernandes. The Portugal international is a high-risk player and Eriksen is a much safer bet in