Galvanised Fred grabs his chance by running the Parc...
You can see why we signed him – he gets on the ball, no fear, no doubt whatsoever Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
UNITED lyricists must have wondered whether their anthem for the season required a rewrite in recent months.
They’ve got Paul Pogba playing the best football of his career, they’ve got Alexis Sanchez playing the worst football of his career and they’ve got Fred.
Until his start at Crystal Palace last Wednesday, Fred had not played in 53 days. He was bereft in the first-half at Selhurst Park and back on the bench against Southampton. Fred emerged and had a game-changing impact with the assist, albeit via a decisive deviation off Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The Brazilian would have likely started in Paris, irrespective of whether his intended pass for Romelu Lukaku was intercepted or not. United needed a forwardthinking midfielder to offset Paul Pogba’s absence – they got it.
“That was probably Fred’s breakthrough for us,” Solskjaer stressed at his post-match briefing. “You can see why we signed him. He gets on the ball, no fear, no doubt whatsoever.”
It was almost a month to the day that Solskjaer omitted Fred from the travelling squad at Fulham. His situation was mentioned and Solskjaer’s words were prophetic.
Solskjaer explained: “He will contribute, don’t worry about that.” They won’t.
Fred turned 26 this week and has also turned a corner.
Fred pressed aggressively and used the ball positively during that 30-minute maelstrom where PSG hogged 80 per cent of the possession. “They did a fantastic job,” Solskjaer said of Fred and Scott McTominay. “Screening in front of their high midfielders and putting pressure on Verratti and Marquinhos.”
It is easy to underestimate a £52m reserve and a Scotland international who was interesting Championship clubs in January, and that is partially why PSG choked. Fred and McTominay, imbued with renewed belief under Solskjaer, had the professional night of their lives. United coaches were always optimistic Fred would come good. Sources told the M.E.N. the club had given ‘very positive’ feedback on his training performances and felt Fred required more time to ‘properly adapt.’ “Hopefully he’ll adjust to the English game because there’s no doubt there’s talent,” Solskjaer has said of Fred. “I’m sure that Fred, when he gets the chance, he will grab the opportunity.” Reassuringly, Fred has also embraced life in the northwest with his wife, Monique, and baby son, Benjamin. They have already ticked off The Beatles tour and spent a day off last week in Llandudno. It is an approach to British life that jars with the South American he bested in Paris. Fred was smiling and Di Maria was frowning. They’ve got Fred performing.