“One more year, one more year, Casemiro,” sang the Stretford End, first after he celebrated scoring the opening goal, then as he left the pitch in the 90th minute.
Some casual observers of Casemiro’s Manchester United career are still confused as to why an expensively-acquired, highly-paid veteran who has been held up as a symbol of a wasteful and starstruck recruitment policy is being celebrated by supporters on this farewell tour.
But Old Trafford’s direct imploring of him to stay beyond the end of the season should leave them in no doubt. He will be fondly remembered.
Casemiro’s second-half breakthrough in this highly-anticipated visit of Aston Villa was his seventh goal this season, the sixth scored with his head, and the fifth assisted by a Bruno Fernandes dead-ball delivery.
The 34-year-old’s three and a half years in Manchester have been pockmarked by nights where he has looked off the pace, but his performances since announcing his impending departure have been in keeping with his body of work at large — as a classy, authoritative difference maker in both boxes.
Unfortunately, the Stretford End are likely to be disappointed. “When something is decided it makes it a little bit easier and everyone understands the situation,” Michael Carrick said in response to the potential of a Casemiro U-turn.
The Brazilian will all but certainly depart and leave United supporters wanting more. And as it stands, he might not be the only one, either.
Bruno Fernandes hugs Casemiro after his goal (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
One curious aspect of United’s resurgence under Carrick is just how fleeting and ephemeral this happy moment in the club’s recent history could be because of the question marks that hang over several of its key protagonists.
Take Harry Maguire, for example, who has become a fundamental part of Carrick’s United. The 33-year-old’s contract is also set to expire at the end of June, but this was another commanding display to strengthen his hand in talks over a new deal, potentially on reduced terms.
Ollie Watkins has looked something of a diminished threat this season but still needed to be controlled and contained by Maguire, and he was, having failed to register a single shot before his removal on the hour mark.
Maguire’s guidance also helped his centre-back partner, Leny Yoro, to one of his most assured performances of the season, allowing him to banish the ghosts of his difficult day in December’s reverse fixture at Villa Park.
Harry Maguire steps in to stifle Ollie Watkins (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
If Maguire’s display was one of quiet, understated dominance, you could not help but notice that of Fernandes. Maguire’s successor as captain once again ran proceedings but especially in the second half, when he moved onto 16 assists for the campaign — four short of the Premier League’s single-season record.
It was a display that will only amplify calls for him to win one of the several player-of-the-year awards that will be dished out over the next couple of months, whether that of the Professional Footballers’ Association, the Football Writers’ Association or the Premier League.
Nobody else in the top flight has been operating at Fernandes’ level since the turn of the year. He was playing perfectly well before that, too, despite being deployed out of position.
One of his rivals for the end-of-season individual prizes, Declan Rice, has created 58 chances this season, the second-most in the league. Fernandes has created 98.
The exquisitely-weighted pass for Matheus Cunha’s pivotal goal was his 100th assist in all competitions for United and should rank highly within that century. Benjamin Sesko, warming up on the sidelines, held his hands in the air celebrating a goal shortly after the ball left Fernandes’ boot.
And yet, it was only a few months ago that, while speaking with Portuguese journalists in Carrington’s canteen, Fernandes felt emboldened enough to question United’s leadership and their desire to keep him at Old Trafford amid interest from the Saudi Pro League last summer.
United’s executives might protest against that characterisation, but the ultimate question of Fernandes’ long-term future has not gone away. Carrick came as close as any temporary head coach can to giving an opinion on the matter. “Bruno isn’t someone we want to lose,” he insisted.
Then there is the matter of Carrick’s own future. United have remained firm in their stance that a full and thorough process is being carried out to identify their next permanent manager and that no decision will be finalised before the end of the season.
Carrick can only deliver on the revised target of Champions League qualification and hope that is enough to push his name to the top of the shortlist of potential candidates — a shortlist that is shorter than it was when he took the job in January.
Up until this point, he has done everything he can. The turnaround has been so emphatic, anything less than a spot in Europe’s elite club competition risks being seen as a disappointment.
United not only beat a direct rival for one of those spots in Villa this weekend, but saw the other contenders drop points too. It is not only a three-point cushion over Unai Emery’s side in fourth place, but a six-point gap to sixth-place Chelsea.
Avoid defeat at Stamford Bridge next month and when Liverpool visit in May, pick up points elsewhere according to expectation and, so long as English clubs also maintain their place in UEFA’s coefficient standings, that will surely be enough to return to the Champions League.
Michael Carrick has had an instant impact at Manchester United (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Would it be enough for Carrick? “One hundred per cent he should (get the job),” Wayne Rooney told BBC Radio 5 Live after the final whistle. “I knew this was going to happen with Michael Carrick.”
Rooney’s advocacy of and confidence in Carrick should come as no surprise, given they were holidaying together in Barbados in January when the former United midfielder was approached to take charge until the end of the season.
But after seven wins in nine games, even some of Carrick’s more sceptical former team-mates must be coming round to his candidacy by now.
The coming months will decide whether next season’s United looks like this season’s United; whether some of the key figures propelling this revival are still around. All those in the Stretford End can do for now is enjoy the moment and hope it lasts.