For Casemiro, it was an emotional farewell - a suitable ending to a journey full of ups and downs but closed with respect from Manchester United fans for him.
However, reality also shows that the time of separation is inevitable. To borrow the controversial comment of former center-back Jamie Carragher, Casemiro will leave Old Trafford before Old Trafford leaves him.
Next season, Michael Carrick needs a central midfielder with more energy, mobility and better penetration ability in midfield. And in the match against Nottingham Forest, Elliot Anderson showed that he could completely be the right name for that role.
At the age of 23, Anderson had an excellent performance despite Forest's defeat. If Sir Jim Ratcliffe really understands the professional value of the team, he will not hesitate to consider a big deal for the English midfielder.
Notably, right in this match, Man United also welcomed good financial news when Napoli confirmed activation of the buyout clause for Rasmus Hojlund after winning a Champions League spot. The £38 million fee is considered a significant figure for a player who has never really met expectations at Old Trafford.
However, to convince Nottingham Forest to sell Anderson, that amount is certainly not enough. According to assessments from many sides, the fee for this midfielder may be many times higher. However, the "Red Devils" should still try.
Old Trafford in recent years has rarely witnessed such a comprehensive performance from a midfielder from a losing team. Anderson continuously made a difference with cross-line plays, while still maintaining the intensity of the contest and supporting defense throughout the match.
That is what makes his performance special, even though Nottingham Forest was the team that suffered the overall defeat. Carrick currently possesses a potential team and if Anderson is added - the player who assisted Morato to equalize after Luke Shaw's opening goal - MU can completely become a real candidate for domestic and European titles.
In fact, Carrick's team has shown many positive signs. Ignoring the VAR controversy related to Matheus Cunha's goal, they completely deserved to win.
Bryan Mbeumo could have scored earlier if he had taken better advantage of the opportunity, before referee Michael Salisbury caused controversy when he recognized Cunha's goal situation even though the ball seemed to have touched Mbeumo's hand.
After that, Bruno Fernandes went down in history when he equaled the record of 20 assists in a Premier League season - a achievement that once belonged to Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry - with a pass that helped Mbeumo score.
However, Anderson continued to make his mark with an assist for Morgan Gibbs-White to score a beautiful goal, making the final minutes of the match extremely tense. Finally, the most touching moment still belonged to Casemiro.
In the final minutes, Carrick actively pulled the Brazilian midfielder off the field so that he could receive full gratitude from the Old Trafford stands. Casemiro was moved, tearful in the arms of his teammates before bowing his head to thank the fans. That could be the last time Old Trafford witnessed Casemiro play in a Man United shirt.
But after this performance, the "Red Devils" fans will certainly hope Elliot Anderson will return to Old Trafford soon, as a Man United player.
