Dwight Yorke names Manchester United’s two most important players under Erik ten Hag

Erik ten Hag has turned Manchester United from hopeless to hopeful since he was appointed in the summer, Dwight York believes that two midfielders have been crucial to the turnaround.

The former United striker knows what makes a good squad. He won three Premier League titles, one Champions League and an FA Cup during his four-year stint at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford has directly contributed to 22 goals for The Reds so far this season, and whilst Yorke has shown his appreciation for the dangerous forward, he believes that two midfielders are vital for Ten Hag.

Casemiro joined the club in the summer transfer window from Real Madrid and has already won over the fanbase with his quality and passion.

The Brazilian has been the catalyst for the biggest improvement in a United midfield for a long time.

“Casemiro’s resume is unbelievable and what he’s achieved at Real Madrid, you can’t really fault him,” said Yorke. You don’t play at that level if you’re not a good player. The one question mark was his age, coming up to 31.

“Then, obviously, there was the size of the fee for a player coming to the Premier League, that has a greater intensity to La Liga. That might have been a challenge. But like I say, when you’re a good player, you come in and you embrace the club.

“Casemiro has done that better than most. That’s why the transition has been easy for him and that’s why he has become one of the key ingredients of the team.”

Meanwhile, the man in front of the Brazilian has also been in fine form. Bruno Fernandes might not have the same level of goal contributions as when he first joined the club but is offering a lot more to the side under Ten Hag.

“Fernandes can score goals and, obviously, he is very creative in terms of that. What went away for Bruno, and what has come back, is his enjoyment of playing football,” added the ex-United striker.

“But once he started to enjoy his football, we’ve seen again the best of Bruno Fernandes. And I think for a period of time, he wasn’t enjoying playing. When he came to United, his record was incredible.

“He’s getting back to somewhere along those lines. Keeping Casemiro and Bruno fit will be key to the club’s success this season.”