Harry Maguire Brands £70m Teammate Casemiro the Best Aerial Attacker He Has Ever Seen

Harry Maguire claims teammate Casemiro is the most clinical aerial attacker he’s ever worked with after the Brazilian's 9th goal of the season vs Brentford.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 3:57 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from YSScores

A Record-Breaking Season for the Brazilian Midfielder

Casemiro’s transformative impact on Manchester United’s offensive output reached a new milestone on Monday night at Old Trafford. The 34-year-old opened the scoring in the 11th minute of the match against Brentford, marking his ninth Premier League goal of the 2025–26 season. This prolific return from a defensive midfielder has been a cornerstone of the club’s late-season surge under interim manager Michael Carrick. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Harry Maguire admitted that he has been forced to reconsider his own reputation as an aerial specialist after witnessing Casemiro's consistent efficiency in the opposition penalty area.

Surpassing Expectations in the Attacking Box

In a candid assessment of his teammate’s technical prowess, Maguire described Casemiro as the most clinical header of the ball he has worked with throughout his career. He specifically pointed to the Brazilian's leap, timing, and aggression as the qualities that differentiate him from other aerial threats. Maguire noted that Casemiro’s ability to find the net from acute angles, as demonstrated in the Brentford goal, has provided a "massive boost" that has kept Manchester United in contention for a top-three finish. Without this unexpected source of goals, Maguire suggested the club would be nowhere near its current position in the league table.

The Strategic Benefit of Dual Aerial Threats

Maguire elaborated on how Casemiro’s presence has fundamentally changed the way opposition teams defend against Manchester United at set pieces. Historically, Maguire has been the primary target for double-marking, but he noted that teams are now forced to allocate their best defenders to neutralize Casemiro as well. This shift in defensive focus has created a "freeing up" effect for both players; when one is marked heavily, the other finds more space to attack the ball. Maguire believes this dual-threat dynamic makes the Red Devils significantly harder to contain during corners and free kicks, resulting in higher scoring opportunities for the entire defensive unit.