Fred on new advanced role at Manchester United after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer exit
Fred has given his thoughts on the new advanced role he is playing at Manchester United following the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He has looked much better since Solskjaer’s sacking and is arguably one of the most improved players in the team since the managerial change.
Ole mainly used the Brazilian in a double pivot alongside Scott McTominay. The 4-2-3-1 system brought out Fred’s ability on the defensive side of things, but that limited his ability to flex his muscles in the attacking phase for the Red Devils.
Since the 48-year-old’s departure, the Red Devils star has been utilised as a box-to-box midfielder, engaging in attack more often than before. His performances, as a result, have caught the fans’ eyes more and he is arguably looking like the best version of himself at United.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, the Brazil international addressed the matter and expressed his love for this new role. The central midfielder added that he also plays a similar role for his national team, Brazil, who continue to be one of the best national teams in the world right now.
“I really like playing there. With the Seleção, I play in a position which is closer to the opposition goal and the coach here has changed my positioning too and I really like it. I have no problem playing deeper and I enjoy that position too. I just want to be able to help the team as much as possible – that’s my priority.”
More to follow?
The Man United ace’s new role has certainly made an impact which is backed up by his increased goal involvement since the Norwegian’s exit. He has scored once while assisting five times across all competitions, compared to the one goal this season under the ex-Cardiff City manager.
One may think that the Brazilian midfielder’s influence in the defensive side of things may have waned as a result of this change, but that is not the case as he still holds the top two places in the team for crucial defensive metrics such as tackles, recoveries, and possession won in the middle third.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder has certainly been playing well for us despite the team not really raking in points as they would have liked to. Regardless of his improvement, it doesn’t mean that the club doesn’t need more depth in that area.
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With Paul Pogba’s contract about to expire in the summer, Nemanja Matic’s ageing body, and Donny van de Beek’s loan to Everton highlighting where the Man United manager currently rates him, it is imperative that we provide competition to Fred and McTominay in midfield for regular starts.