Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag acknowledged Casemiro's attacking output has taken him by surprise after the Brazilian scored twice in Saturday's 3-1 FA Cup win over Reading.
United booked their passage to the fifth round thanks to the straightforward victory at Old Trafford.
Despite the ultimately routine nature of the win, it took United 54 minutes to break Reading's resistance – the breakthrough came via Casemiro's impudent scoop following Antony's incisive pass.
Casemiro then got a second four minutes later, his long-range strike taking a slight deflection en route to the bottom-right corner, with Fred getting the third with a cheeky flick.
It was just the latest in a series of exceptional performances from Casemiro since his reported £60million move from Real Madrid in August, the brace taking him to four goals for the season.
Add to that his five assists, and Casemiro's nine goal involvements for the campaign is the fourth-most in the United squad, while he also ranks fourth for open-play chances created (28).
When asked if he was surprised by Casemiro's impact in this regard, Ten Hag told ITV: "Yes. We know he's a great player. The midfield at Madrid with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, it was great…
"I think he's capable of that [being an attacking threat]. We see offensively he's a part, and he enjoys it when he can come in [to the attack].
"What I like is dynamic football with variations and many positional switches, so we have to make the opponents think, so we can make the most."
United captain Harry Maguire credited the midfielder with having a transformational effect in several aspects.
"He's done what he was brought in to do," Maguire said. "He's a phenomenal player, he has been throughout his career. You don't win what he's won without being a top player.
"He's improved the team, improved the morale and improved the performance, and it's great to have him."
Lincoln keep alive play-off bid with vital victory at Oxford
Lincoln kept alive their League One play-off hopes with a crucial 1-0 victory over sixth-placed Oxford at the Kassam Stadium.
Danny Mandroiu hit the winner from the penalty two minutes into the second half after Ruben Rodrigues fouled Ben House.
They held out despite having substitute Dylan Duffy sent off for a second yellow card seven minutes from the end.
It was a must-win game for the Imps after their home defeat by Wigan at the weekend and they started the better.
Paudie O’Connor forced goalkeeper Jamie Cumming into a save with a far-post header at a corner and Freddie Draper headed wide from close in.
The visitors suffered a blow when Reeco Hackett had to go off with an arm injury after what looked an innocuous challenge.
As the half wore on Oxford settled and keeper Lukas Jensen twice saved from Tyler Goodrham and Mark Harris also went close twice as the U’s turned up the heat.
But City also looked dangerous and Draper squandered another good opportunity from eight yards.
The U’s were caught cold at the start of the second half when they conceded the spot-kick, hammered home by Mandroiu to Cumming’s left.
Cameron Brannagan added an extra dimension for United when he came off the bench and he cut in from the left to hammer a fierce drive that Jensen did well to save.
But Lincoln defended resolutely for a victory that keeps their season going.
Chris Martin nets late winner as Bristol Rovers edge Cambridge
Chris Martin scored his 16th League One goal of the season as Bristol Rovers claimed a late 1-0 victory over Cambridge at the Memorial Stadium.
The Rovers striker fired low into the goal after 87 minutes as he converted Luke Thomas’ cross, with the Pirates scoring at home for the first time in five games.
That goal made up for Martin’s earlier gilt-edged miss – the 35-year-old former Norwich and Derby forward was unable to convert a 33nd-minute penalty.
U’s goalkeeper Will Mannion dived to his left to stop the striker’s low, poorly-placed shot, after Paul Digby had been penalised for a foul on Scott Sinclair, as the Rovers winger attacked following Luke Thomas winning the ball just outside the Cambridge area.
The visitors threatened throughout via set-pieces, as Digby and Macauley Bonne both headed first-half corners over the crossbar.
And Mamadou Jobe went even closer when his 60th-minute header crashed off the woodwork as the defender met a Danny Andrew free-kick.
Luca Hoole cleared Liam Bennett’s shot off the line in the last minute of stoppage time to preserve Rovers’ result, after another Cambridge corner.
Arsenal ready to write a different story – Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta believes Champions League quarter-final success against Bayern Munich will take Arsenal to the next level as he told his players to “write a different story” at the Allianz Arena.
The Gunners head into Wednesday’s second leg locked at 2-2 with Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern after a thrilling draw at the Emirates Stadium last week.
Defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday has since dented Arsenal’s Premier League title bid as attention now turns to Europe once again.
Arsenal had lost seven last-16 ties in succession before returning to the Champions League this season – three times to Bayern.
Arteta, though, feels reaching a semi-final against either holders Manchester City or record 14-time winners Real Madrid would elevate Arsenal.
Asked how transformative victory would be and whether it would take Arsenal to the next level, the Spaniard replied: “Absolutely.
“It would be unbelievable. If we make it happen tomorrow and we’re in the semi-final, we’ll be in a really high emotional state with something that we haven’t achieved in 15 years and that’s the opportunity.
“All the preparation has been to achieve that. We have earned it. We have earned it for 10 months and everything we did last season, to start our journey in the Champions League after so many years.
“Tomorrow we have an unbelievable opportunity to make it happen.”
Arteta has overseen a sea change in approach to big away games this season, ripping up the recent form books and guiding Arsenal to draws at title rivals City and Liverpool.
They have lost 5-1 on their last two visits to the Allianz – but Arteta wants another memorable away performance to redress more recent history.
“We have to change it and the opportunity comes there,” he added.
“There are lots of things we can do to write our story very differently tomorrow, we know that and it is going to be about putting in a very, very strong performance collectively and individually to earn the right to be in the semi-final.
“Most of our players haven’t experienced a night like this, this is going to be the first one, they are super-motivated, they are prepared, they feel confident and it is something that tomorrow we are going to have to show against an opponent that has this experience – but we want to make it happen.”
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