United’s band of brothers speak the same language on and off the pitch
MANCHESTER UNITED are bouncing to the Samba beat of Old Trafford’s Three Amigos – and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is loving it.
Brazilian midfielder Fred, talisman
Bruno Fernandes and defender Alex Telles have formed their own terrific trio and it’s paying dividends for United.
United by their shared Portuguese language, the threesome have put the smile back into the team’s football, on and off the pitch.
The talented trinity drive each other on with free-kick competitions after training, with Fred getting plenty of stick for his woeful shooting from outside the box.
United head to Leicester today aiming to keep their 23-game unbeaten away run going in domestic competition with a place in the FA Cup semi-finals at stake at the King Power Stadium.
Hunger
And Solskjaer has revealed the trio have formed a close bond that is delivering joy around the club’s AON training complex at Carrington.
“They’re three peas in a pod, you know, Fred, Bruno and Alex. They hang around each other,” said Solskjaer. “They have so much enthusiasm and hunger and a desire to get knowledge about football, to make the most out of their careers.
“They watch all the Brazilian and Portuguese games on TV and it’s crazy how those three keep pushing each other on, keep practising free-kicks and shots from outside the box.
“It’s great to have these characters around the dressing room, you know. Because it’s a tough enough season if everyone is just going to focus on themselves and be like standard A4. You need these kind of guys who are different.
“It’s great to have groups and players with energy and a bit of smile. They put the Brazilian samba music on and a smile on faces. It’s great.”
Solskjaer is delighted 28-yearold Fred is playing a key role in making United hard to beat.
He added: “His energy, intensity and tenacity in midfield, it builds a lot of our defensive performances.”
The FA Cup is high on
Solskjaer’s list of priorities, having been enthralled by the competition since lifting it as a player in United’s 1999 Treble.
“The shared history of the FA
Cup and United is so great, and for me, it is one of the most iconic trophies you can win,” said the
United boss.