Manchester United's midfield dilemma is becoming impossible to ignore. When Casemiro starts, the Red Devils look like a team with direction. When he doesn't? The numbers tell a sobering story: zero wins in four Premier League matches this season without the Brazilian in the starting lineup.

Head coach Michael Carrick confirmed after the goalless draw at Sunderland that the 34-year-old will be fit for next week's home clash against Nottingham Forest, giving fans one last chance to properly salute a player whose four-year spell at Old Trafford has been nothing short of transformative. But the underlying concern is clear—this team simply cannot function without him.

The Sunderland stalemate exposed the void. After winning three consecutive meetings against Regis le Bris' side, United were second best throughout. The Black Cats boss had every right to feel disappointed his team didn't take all three points. United managed zero shots on target until stoppage time, when Matheus Cunha's effort was finally saved by Robin Roefs. The hosts dominated possession, created more chances, and posted a higher expected goals (xG) total. Le Bris summed it up perfectly: his side had "more control."

With Casemiro out and Manuel Ugarte also missing—few at the club believe the Uruguayan is the long-term answer anyway—Carrick faced a tactical crossroads. Drop Kobbie Mainoo into the defensive midfield role and deploy Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount as the number eight? Or hand 19-year-old Tyler Fletcher his first senior start, leaving Mainoo in the advanced position where he has thrived since Ruben Amorim's departure?

Carrick chose Mainoo and Mount, especially with Fernandes still chasing the assist record (he needs one more to match Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne's Premier League best of 20 in a single campaign). The result was a performance that lacked creativity, penetration, and any real sense of threat.

To be fair, Carrick made five changes at the Stadium of Light, so this wasn't solely about one man's absence. There's a growing acknowledgment that United's squad depth simply isn't where it needs to be. The midfield engine room, once a fortress, now looks worryingly thin. And with Casemiro's departure looming this summer, the question isn't just about replacing a legend—it's about whether the club has any plan to do so. For a team with title aspirations, that's a problem that won't go away with a simple transfer window fix.