FAB HAILS CASEMIRO AND FRED

FABINHO admits Manchester United are getting a midfield master in Casemiro – but feels Fred has been made a scapegoat for their struggles

Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder (above, with Casemiro) is international team-mates with both players and reckons the Red Devils have made a shrewd move in signing the man from Real Madrid.

Fabinho said: “I played with Casemiro in Real Madrid’s second team and with the national team. We always have conversations and he is a good guy.

“He will be a good signing. Casemiro is a smart guy, he is a good player.

“He is strong, he is good in the air – it will not be hard for him to adapt.”

Fred and Scott McTominay have been pinpointed as two of the reasons why United have struggled in recent seasons. But Fabinho thinks it is unfair Fred gets singled out, given he is a regular in the Brazil team.

He said: “Sometimes I don’t really understand the criticisms with Fred because he is a regular player.

“He always play good football so I think in general the Man United thing has not been successful in the last seasons, so you try to find a solution or you try to put the fault on some of the players... and sometimes I think Fred is that player.

“But he is a good player, in the national team he is always a starter, he always plays good and, yes, sometimes the player needs a little bit more confidence to play good.

“Last season Fred played really good football.

“Maybe he was one of the best Man United players.

“This season Man United didn’t start really good but I hope Fred will play good and Man United will stay playing like this.”