Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte has expressed his admiration for team-mate Casemiro, describing it as an "honour" to play alongside the Brazilian. The Uruguayan midfielder was speaking after United's impressive 3-0 victory over Leicester City on Sunday. Despite being benched for the clash with the Foxes, Casemiro has been in fine form recently, turning his fortunes around at United following a challenging few months. The former Real Madrid star had a spell on the sidelines after United's 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle United on December 30, but he has since started four of United's last six games. The 33-year-old also received a standing ovation when he was substituted during the second half of the 4-1 Europa League win over Real Sociedad last Thursday. Ugarte took Casemiro's place in the centre of United's midfield for the game against Leicester, ending his run of three consecutive starts. Despite competing for the same spot in United's engine room, Ugarte couldn't help but praise his fellow midfielder. "Well, I talk a lot with Case; we have a very good relationship," Ugarte told Telemundo Deportes after the Leicester game. "No one can deny what he has won. It's an honour to train with him and live with him day by day. You learn a lot in the field, too." Casemiro, who joined United from Madrid in August 2022 for a reported £70million, initially impressed but then faced criticism after a spate of errors. Yet, his resurgence has caught the eye of boss Ruben Amorim, who last week praised the Brazilian's recent performances, as per the Manchester Evening News. "I think he's improving his game and I'm improving the way I should use a player like Casemiro," said Amorim. "I think you can feel that our team is more connected, even defending. That can help Casemiro a lot. Because he's so smart, intelligent, reading the game. In short spaces he can understand where the ball is going." United dominated Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester side, thanks to goals from Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, and Bruno Fernandes. The win advanced them to 13th in the Premier League and Ugarte had words of encouragement for the goalscorers after the game: "Without a doubt, attackers sometimes go through periods where they don't score," he said. "But the important thing is that they have that confidence, and we give them the confidence that they will score again. Today, fortunately, it was shown. I am very happy for them, and now we continue. "Bruno [Fernandes] shows that game by game through goals and assists, but not only that; also defensively, he commits a lot. That's why he's the captain, and we're all with him. I'm very happy for the level he's showing." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.