You played central midfield for this club until you were 36, 37, Casemiro is now 33, 34 – what’s the key to doing it as you get a little bit older? Do you give him advice or do you not need to do, as he’s quite an accomplished player?
“It’s quite interesting in terms of how much you give certain players. Even younger players, sometimes you think you need to give them and help them a lot, other times it’s a little bit like the Kobbie scenario, knowing when to come off and let them develop and let them thrive. There’s a little bit certain players want more than others, then there’s the stage with a lot of experience, crossing the 30-mark and you’re in them stages, players are a lot of the time a little bit of what they are. You trust them to know themselves, and speaking to them on a level really where there’s an understanding, really. Certainly with Case, that’s been the case of knowing what he’s good at, what he can bring to the team and try to play to his strengths and having a real trust in his experience and the level that he has. To play for so long at such a level it takes a lot of sacrifice, a lot of work. It’s not easy. I think that’s something I was personally proud of, of sustaining it for a prolonged period of time. Certain players have different types of careers, there’s big spikes and big dips, some players are a bit more steady but to do what he’s done over such a long period of time takes a lot of time and a lot of credit for him for doing what he has.”
You said Liverpool are United’s big game irrespective of league position but this year there’s the chance to finish ahead of them, whereas, last year, there was a big difference. What would it mean this year if you can?
“I think it shows the big improvement as a group really, and getting stronger. To be coming into this game in such a good position, on the back of good results and trying to achieve, moving forward. I’m fully aware of the situation in the league and how close it is between us, but that’s not something we’re really focused on going into this game. I think it’s a one-off game, they’ve got terrific players, they’re a good team and they won the league last year. We obviously respect everything that goes into the game. We’re treating it as that: as a one-off game. The league position is what it is, but Sunday is a whole different ball game.”
What does it say about the respective standings and the enduring global appeal of both clubs that this is still the standout game around the world?
“First of all, it’s a real privilege for us all to be involved in it, whatever capacity. I think that’s the beauty of football though, in the end. We all get wound up in different ways about what’s going on week to week, from club to club and the ups and downs but talking about individuals sustaining a career, to sustain a level of performance over a period of time for each football club… I think there’s a way of how you do it as well, what the standards look like and how it means, what are the behaviours and what you stand for as a football club. It’s two incredible football clubs. To be so close together in so many ways, in terms of titles, geography – it’s not far away. To have such an impact over such a period of time is quite special and I think we all appreciate that.”