Amorim's stark verdict on Casemiro after he was left out of Man Utd side away to Fulham

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has hinted that Casemiro may no longer have the "characteristics" to start regularly for the team.

The 32-year-old midfielder has been relegated to a marginal role under Amorim, starting just four of the 16 matches since the manager took charge.

Casemiro has been left on the bench for ten games and has yet to feature prominently in Amorim’s tactical setup.

This is a stark contrast to his ever-present status under caretaker manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, during whose brief tenure Casemiro started all four matches.

In United's 2-1 Europa League victory over Rangers, Amorim opted for Toby Collyer alongside Bruno Fernandes in midfield, while Christian Eriksen returned in a more advanced role.

Casemiro, whose contract at United expires in 18 months, now finds himself as the sixth-choice option in midfield.

"He has to have the characteristics, and then I have to choose the player with characteristics that fit the game I see," Amorim explained.

"It’s just that. I have to make some choices. I want to play a style of game that is sometimes different from other coaches, and I have to choose based on that."

Amorim also addressed the uncertainty surrounding Marcus Rashford’s future at the club.

The forward has not played in United's last ten matches and watched the Rangers game from his hospitality box at Old Trafford.

With the winter transfer window closing on February 3, Amorim remained non-committal about Rashford's potential reintegration into the squad.

"I don’t know," Amorim said when asked if Rashford could stay. "I really don’t know. Guys, it’s eight days. We will see at the end of the window what happened, and then we will talk about that in the moment."

Bruno Fernandes, who scored a dramatic 92nd-minute winner against Rangers, continues to be a pivotal figure for United.

The goal brought him level as the club’s top scorer this season with nine goals, all scored since Erik ten Hag’s departure.

Amorim praised the Portuguese midfielder’s influence, despite occasional criticism of his visible frustration on the pitch.

"I think he’s a top player," Amorim said. *"People talk a lot about his frustration, always with his arms in the air. Sometimes it’s not a good thing to see, but you have to see the other side.

*"When you are under pressure, he’s always the guy that wants the ball. He’s always available, and that is so important, especially in the Premier League.

"He can run, and he runs a lot. He fights a lot. We are lucky to have a player like Bruno Fernandes.

"Sometimes he makes mistakes—like me last week—but he’s really important and has passion. This is so important to be a football player."

As United navigate their current challenges, Amorim’s tactical choices and management of key players like Casemiro, Rashford, and Fernandes will remain under close scrutiny.