Manchester United hope they have the man to finally end their injury crisis

Casemiro is the 17th Manchester United player to succumb to injury or an ailment this season and the clocks have not gone back yet.

Staff at United have been keeping count. Before Casemiro became the latest fly to drop, a senior figure cited the 16 injuries as part of the mitigation for United's worst start to a season in 37 years.

The absence of Casemiro is not the setback it was last season. He has plodded through the opening months and was decisively hooked at the interval in the win against Brentford. Casemiro supportively re-emerged to watch the second half from the dugout.

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It is a quirk of Casemiro's form he is United's top scorer with four goals; half of them in the scattergun conclusion to the defeat to Bayern Munich. He is suspended for the Champions League visit of Copenhagen on Tuesday.

Just as well, some will think. Casemiro was off the pace for Galatasaray's equaliser and for his desperate tackle to atone for Andre Onana's errant pass. The yellow card was flourished for the second time.

Questions have to be raised as to why the 31-year-old lined up for Brazil against Uruguay four days after withdrawing in the second half of the draw with Venezuela due to an ankle issue.

A surfeit of United players have been more invested in their country than their club in recent times and it is easy to accuse Casemiro of having little regard for the plight he has contributed to back in Manchester.

New doctor Gary O'Driscoll could be forgiven for demanding an expansion of the medical centre. Sergio Reguilon is fit again but United are still without Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw,