Casemiro’s faith in Erik ten Hag’s ambition hints at greater things to come for Manchester United

End-of-season festivities were in full swing on the pitch at Vitality Stadium when Casemiro emerged from the undressing room early Saturday night. It’s safe to say there’s little chance of Manchester United getting into the festive mood yet.

Casemiro and his United teammates know that Erik ten Hag has worked too hard and for too long to let a top four finish slip now. Champions League qualification was Ten Hag’s number one goal when he took over last summer and one point from the remaining games at home to Chelsea on Thursday or Fulham on Sunday will suffice.

The South Coast win looked to be enough thanks to Casemiro’s acrobatic early try, but Liverpool’s late equalizer against Aston Villa has left United waiting. So they move on to Chelsea and the Ten Hag side knows exactly what the manager expects of them.

“He really surprised me with his ambition,” admitted Casemiro, who was no stranger to a winner’s mentality that came from Real Madrid last summer. “He asks for more, because one hundred percent is not enough for him. We are very close to our goal, which is to qualify for the Champions League. But we’re not there yet. We need one more point. We shouldn’t even think about drawing the next game against Chelsea.’

Casemiro scored the only goal of a tight game with a spectacular bicycle kick after Marcos Senesi tried to block a clever pass from Christian Eriksen, but David de Gea also played his part. The Spanish goalkeeper made several key saves, most notably one-on-one from Kieffer Moore late in the game, to get the clean sheet that guarantees him the Golden Glove award.

Erik ten Hag’s tenacity and ambition have had a hugely positive effect on his players this season

De Gea has been criticized for his mistakes this season, the last at West Ham two weeks ago. But he is about to sign a new contract at Old Trafford and clearly has a lot to offer. While United maintain their focus, Bournemouth could afford to enjoy the moment with their fans after the last home game of the season. They deserved their victory lap.

Gary O’Neil’s side had already secured Premier League survival and they can go to Goodison Park on Sunday without the pressure that will weigh heavily on Everton.

This was a day to welcome David Brooks back to the line-up as the Wales international made his first start since September 2021 following cancer treatment. And his teammate Illia Zabarnyi revealed that he will return to war-torn Kiev once the season is over.

“I was playing in the Ukrainian league when the Russians attacked,” said Zabarnyi, who joined Bournemouth from Dynamo Kyiv in January. Now I’m in a new country with a new team and new faces. I’m in a nice, quiet city and I play in the best league in the world.

“I speak to my family at home every day. I have many friends at home the same age as me who have stayed to defend Ukraine.

“After the last game I go home. I miss my family, my friends and my city.’

David De Gea has had a difficult season at Old Trafford, but still won the Golden Glove

Illia Zabarnyi, who joined Bournemouth in January, has revealed plans to return to Kyiv after the end of the season