Rio Ferdinand: Manchester United ace Fred will surprise everyone under Ralf Rangnick

Manchester United star Fred has surprised everyone over the past few games with his performances which prompted Rio Ferdinand to back the midfielder to be an important player under Ralf Rangnick. The former was often criticised for his performances alongside Scott McTominay but has turned a new page since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure.

The 28-year-old scored the first goal under Rangnick’s tenure, which gave Man United the three points against Crystal Palace in the Premier League. That has strengthened the team’s chances of finishing in the top four as they are just three points off West Ham United, who sit fourth in the league table.

Speaking on Vibe with Five (h/t Manchester Evening News), Ferdinand believes the Brazilian is one of those players who can shock everyone when a new manager comes into the team. He added that the new system would mask his shortcomings and highlight his strengths moving forward.

“When a new manager comes in, there is always a player or two that jumps out from the pack and you go: ‘I didn’t expect that from him. I didn’t expect him to be that player’. Fred could be that guy under this manager because of the way he plays, in terms of intensity, he gives you everything, he’s sharp and he gets about people.”

“If he does that with somebody now giving him that tactical nous and a structure, Fred could become a player that is a mainstay in this team. The biggest problem that I used to have with Fred is that he used to jump out of the team’s shape. Now, because the team is so structured, if he does jump other players are going to fill in, because they will be tactically more aware.”

Dark horse in the team?

The United midfielder has been on the receiving end of criticism a number of times under Solskjaer’s reign, but with his current form, he has turned that into praise. However, there is always scope for improvement. He was wasteful against Chelsea in our 1-1 draw but it would be wrong to let a couple of moments overshadow his recent consistency in games.

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We cannot question the effort that the Red Devils ace puts into the game week in, week out, and that could help him excel in the German’s heavy metal football. At the same time, he would also need to sort out his issues like the one mentioned by the club legend.

Many had written off the Brazil international but us fans would also be among the first to congratulate him for clawing through these hardships; after all, the team’s success is the most important thing at the end of the day.

It wasn’t uncommon for Fred to be a scapegoat after a disappointing performance from the team. But he has done well to not be affected by it and has continued to do his best on the pitch. That tells a lot about his mental strength and how he is a player suited to our club.