Manchester United were left red-faced ahead of their FA Cup showdown with Manchester City as they were forced to pull Casemiro from their matchday squad after already naming him on the bench when they handed out their official team sheet. Casemiro had already been dropped from Erik ten Hag’s starting team for the encounter, with Rafael Varane being brought in to partner Lisandro Martinez at centre-back.

United announced their team for the FA Cup final an hour before kick-off, with central defenders Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans also named among the substitutes.

And Willy Kambwala was eventually promoted to the bench at the expense of Casemiro as Ten Hag told the BBC: “Cas is not 100 per cent. Also we want in that space around Phil Foden, we need a strong defence.”

Casemiro has endured a dreadful end to the campaign and has looked unconvincing since becoming a makeshift centre-back over the last month. He was embarrassed during United’s 4-0 thumping at the hands of Crystal Palace earlier this month and was unable to prevent his side conceding 10 goals in their final six Premier League encounters.

Casemiro enjoyed a fine maiden campaign after joining the Red Devils from Real Madrid in the summer of 2022. But he now looks likely to head through the Old Trafford exit this summer, two years before his contract expires.

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