Erik ten Hag explains why Casemiro has not been starting for Manchester United

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag claims Casemiro's absence from the Premier League starting XI was down to their winning run.

United signed Casemiro for a fee of £60million rising to £70m from Real Madrid on August 22 but the 30-year-old is yet to start in the Premier League.

The Brazil international emerged on the hour of the 6-3 humbling by Manchester City on Sunday and could come into the starting XI against Everton on Sunday.

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Ten Hag's failure to integrate Casemiro into the line-up against Southampton, Leicester and Arsenal proved costly at the Etihad as United started without a defensive midfielder again and Scott McTominay was overwhelmed by City's superior midfield.

Casemiro was paraded by United on the evening they beat Liverpool 2-1 to embark on a four-game winning run in the league.

"On the day we signed him, we started to win and it's about the team," Ten Hag said. "The team is doing really well, it's not against Casemiro, it's for, in this case, Scott McTominay, he performed great in the team and then we get into a run.

"But I'm sure it will be important for us in the long and short-term, he will find himself in the team but it has to come in a natural way."

Casemiro appeared in both of Brazil's friendlies during the September internationals but their wins against Ghana and Tunisia were played in France to limit players' travel.

Ten Hag must decide whether to start Casemiro against Omonia Nicosia in United's third Europa League group stage game on Thursday before the trip to Goodison Park.

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