Fred’s now starting to show some Brazilian flair in Red
ONLY United could recruit two left-footed Brazilian midfielders with a shooting technique that suggests their boots are the shape of a Toblerone.
Unlike Bem Brasil aficionado Anderson, Fred has already scored and his wayward strike against Tottenham was intercepted by Marcus Rashford.
That and Dele Alli’s sorcery were the only blemishes on another encouraging night for United’s fourth-most expensive signing.
“The boy works hard, but he’s creating a relationship with Scott, which is proving very good for us,” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said about Fred.
“And I know more than anyone, probably, it’s hard to play one game, and be out for three, play one game and be out for three. Now he’s been consistent. Same with Scotty, they’ve been consistently picked. And that gives you confidence.”
Solskjaer’s empathy reassured Fred during his August omissions; he did not make a matchday squad until September but has appeared in every league game since and started the last eight, forging a throwback partnership with Scott McTominay.
Excel at City and his place in the team may be secure whenever Paul Pogba is match-fit.
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho complimented Fred and McTominay on their old-school axis: “They are comfortable in this situation of low block... They played the game they wanted to play [in the second-half ], they dropped the block, they defend.”
Their average positioning was just behind the halfway line, with McTominay deeper.
Fred and McTominay are a proactive complement in that they take turns at sitting to let the other off the leash. Rashford was the most frequent recipient of Fred’s 49 passes and support of Mason Greenwood on his first meaningful league start was particularly stark; Greenwood passed to him nine times - three times as many as his second-highest recipient. In a similar scenario against Leicester in September, Fred emerged to shield the United back four and collaborated enterprisingly with fellow substitute Tahith Chong on the counter-attack. That vigilance was evident against Spurs. Fred finished with the second-most recoveries on United’s side and only Victor Lindelof engaged in more ‘ground duels.’ His tentative handling of Alli could have been more courageous though Fred’s composure was largely faultless. He intercepted a 90th minute Alli pass well inside his own third and embarked on a dribble that drew the attention of Alli, Christian Eriksen, Tanguy Ndombole and Jan Vertonghen before threading a pass for Andreas Pereira to botch a breakaway. Another United Brazilian used to do that.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Fred