MANCHESTER UNITED boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stated before the game versus Everton that Fred and Scott McTominay are his most stable and ‘disciplined’ partnership allowing his attackers to thrive.
Against Everton, the pair were at their sparkling best from the first whistle, with some excellent sharp passing, solid defensive screening and energy levels that Everton’s midfield could not deal with.
It’s no wonder why Solskjaer always relies on both Fred and McTominay in the big fixtures, and they rarely put a foot wrong. In Solskjaer’s customary 4-2-3-1 shape, both players within the double pivot are required to offer defensive stability as well as the qualities to be influential in the build-up play.
While Matic and Paul Pogba both possess the latter, they do not offer the same defensive shielding that both Fred and McTominay have so regularly provided, as evidenced in United’s 6-1 mauling to Tottenham at Old Trafford.
Every time United lost the ball in that game, there was always the threat that Tottenham would score at the other end and that was down to the lack of discipline, slack positional play and laboured pressing, and its why since then, Solskjaer has not turned towards the pairing of both Matic and Pogba.
The real question for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is, will the Fred-McTominay pivot be the go-to midfield partnership for much of the campaign? If so, what does that mean for Pogba, Matic and Van de Beek? Or will he turn to Fred and McTominay only when needs must? It is a huge headache to have but a luxurious one.
But if one player has proven his worth to the Manchester United boss, and has staked a strong claim for a regular berth then its got to be Brazilian Fred whose growth, maturity, understanding and performance levels over the past year has been nothing short of brilliant.
The 26-year-old midfielder is an example to any Premier League footballer currently struggling to come to terms with the rigours of the league, that with constant hard work and willingness to improve, you can turn things around and Fred has exemplified that since.
At Goodison Park, Fred provided a timely reminder that he is Solskjaer’s go-to man in midfield. Both he and McTominay provided United with the platform to strut their stuff going forward. As well as possessing the defensive stability, both also possess the mobility and speed – in contrast to Nemanja Matic – to cover much distance and screen the middle third and also uniquely the personal discipline to play in that role and not be tempted to abandon post in search of greater impact further up the pitch – in contrast to Paul Pogba.
Much of that work further up the pitch is handed to Fernandes, Rashford and Martial, but that’s not to say Fred cannot make a telling contribution. One skill the Brazilian has always held even despite his struggles early on in his United career is the ability to find his teammates in penetrative areas and he did just that against Everton, his pass for Rashford – which the forward should have scored – was simply unerring, dissecting the Everton back-line at will.
So far this season, the Brazilian has recorded 5 progressive passes per 90, as well as 5 passes into the final third highlighting his incredible distribution in between the lines of play. His ability to distribute the ball in tight spaces and still find his man is an unappreciated aspect of his game.
Fred’s stats against Everton highlight his significance to the United team even further.
He completed 61 passes (of 67 attempted, 91% accuracy), at least 19 more than any team-mate, 2 key passes, 5 long balls, 3 accurate through balls, 2 successful tackles and 1 interceptions {WhoScored}. These are stats that point towards Fred’s all action style, and just the kind of influence he brings to the United cause.
He’s also amongst the most intense pressers in Europe’s top five leagues this season so far:
It’s pretty damning to say that the Brazilian is currently keeping Paul Pogba out of the Manchester United team, but if you evaluate Fred’s performances over the past few games, you should come to the conclusion that he deserves such a spotlight.
anthonyscouts.co.uk 