Manchester United's midfield engine room is facing an identity crisis, and the numbers don't lie. Without the legendary Casemiro in the starting lineup this season, the Red Devils have failed to win a single Premier League match—a staggering stat that highlights just how irreplaceable the Brazilian has become.

After a goalless draw against Sunderland, head coach Michael Carrick confirmed that Casemiro will be fit for next week's home clash with Nottingham Forest. That's a relief for fans who want to give the 34-year-old a proper farewell after four transformative years at Old Trafford. But it also raises a pressing question: what happens when he's gone?

The Sunderland match was a case study in midfield struggles. With Casemiro sidelined and his obvious deputy, Manuel Ugarte, also unavailable—let's be honest, few believe Ugarte is the long-term answer anyway—Carrick was forced to improvise. He could have dropped young Kobbie Mainoo into the deep-lying role and pushed Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount forward, or he could have handed 19-year-old Tyler Fletcher his first senior start. He chose Mainoo and Mount, keeping Mainoo in his preferred advanced position.

The result? A performance that lacked punch, creativity, and control. United didn't manage a single shot on target until stoppage time, when Matheus Cunha's effort was saved. Sunderland dominated possession, created more chances, and posted a higher expected goals (xG) total. Their manager, Regis le Bris, wasn't wrong when he said his team had "more control."

Carrick made five changes to the lineup, so it's not fair to pin everything on one absence. But there's a growing consensus that this squad simply lacks the depth to compete at the highest level. For a club that prides itself on midfield legends—from Keane to Scholes to Carrick himself—finding a worthy successor to Casemiro is proving to be the toughest challenge yet. And with every game he misses, the urgency only grows.