Erik ten Hag's risk with Casemiro has paid off for Manchester United

Since Manchester United officially announced the signing of Casemiro just over a fortnight ago, they have played four matches, won all four and jumped from 19th to fifth in the Premier League table.

Considering United had been crying out for a world-class defensive-midfielder for several years, it is surely no coincidence that their upturn in fortunes has coincided with the arrival of one of the best holding-midfielders in the world. Yet Casemiro hasn't really had a meaningful amount of game time since making the move from Real Madrid.

The Brazilian, who joined United for an initial fee of £60million last month, has been available for three fixtures since joining the club and has so far been overlooked from the start in each of them. It was not too big a surprise to see Erik ten Hag start him on the bench for the 1-0 win against Southampton, but it was surprising to see him omitted for the Leicester and Arsenal games.

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Casemiro, a five-time Champions League winner during his time in the Spanish capital, was a statement signing for United; he was viewed as a coup considering the position the club currently finds itself in. But the Brazilian is being forced to play a patient game, with his first three appearances in United colours all coming from the bench.

It is surprising when you consider United's desperation for a player of Casemiro's ilk. However, as much as United's fans remain desperate to see the 30-year-old from the start, Ten Hag's decision to overlook him up until this point has not been vindicated.

Against Arsenal, the Dutchman named the same midfield trio for the fourth game running, with Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes