Things were supposed to get so much better when Manchester United had their best players back. They played the strongest XI available to them on Sunday and still somehow let a two-goal lead slip.
Erik ten Hag will argue that results are far more important than performances in any cup competition, but it can’t be ignored that further improvement is needed if United are to salvage their season.
Andre Onana would have started if he wasn’t on his way back from the Africa Cup of Nations and Marcus Rashford would typically start as well. Other than that, it was as strong as United could have hoped for in every other area of the pitch.
The fact so many players are still regaining match sharpness after lengthy spells on the sidelines was certainly a factor, but it’s still clutching at straws against a League Two side who had played twice during the spell on United’s own two-week break.
What is most alarming is how off-pace Casemiro looked on his first start since November 1. He had returned to the bench for the draw against Tottenham earlier in the month and was rusty at Rodney Parade.
Instead, it fell on Kobbie Mainoo to dictate the midfield battle, with Casemiro struggling to keep up with the frantic pace of the game that quickly went from end-to-end as it became stretched.
It leaves United with a question mark over their best midfield and although many still believe Casemiro can be the perfect partner for Mainoo, we have yet to see it so far.
Casemiro should still keep his place when they travel to face Wolves on Thursday night, but if he struggles in that game as well, then the perception of him as one of their best players might be about to change.
Scott McTominay has had an impressive individual campaign, and although there are obvious doubts over his suitability to the side, he will still fancy his chances as the final man in their midfield trio along with Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes.
Ultimately, it raises serious questions about the longevity of their £70 million midfield signing and the growing concern that they might need to replace him just halfway through his initial four-year deal at the club.
Ten Hag has been desperate to have his strongest selection available and he could finally have that on Thursday night. The challenge for Casemiro is to prove he still belongs in it.
The 31-year-old finished with a passing accuracy of only 66 percent and won just four of his 11 duels in the match. He lost possession a number of times and was guilty of making four fouls, one of which resulted in a yellow card. It was like he had never been gone.
Casemiro was excellent for United last season but before his injury layoff, he had been poor throughout the current campaign. It has always felt dangerous to label him as some sort of saviour for the season when he has so clearly been on the decline since last summer.
Ten Hag will hope that it has just been an exception and that the Brazilian midfielder will be back to his best after a regular run of matches to help regain that precious match sharpness. It is worth noting that Casemiro was eased into action when he signed for United two years ago and he might need similar treatment after such a long spell on the sidelines.
