Fred not playing for Manchester United due to a lack of quality on the ball
Manchester United icon Gary Neville has given an insight into the lack of game time Fred has been getting in recent weeks, citing the midfielder’s lack of quality on the ball as a reason.
The Brazil international has not started for the Red Devils in the last six Premier League matches. With the return of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, the former Shakhtar Donetsk star has once again been relegated to the bench.
Speaking on The Overlap on YouTube (h/t Metro), Neville reveals that the 30-year-old has lost his place in the team because Erik ten Hag wants players in the middle of the park who can hold onto the ball.
“He’s left Fred out for the last few months because he wants Eriksen. I’ve got a little bit of an insight into why Fred’s not playing, Sabitzer is playing because he can hold [the ball].”
Fred signed for United in the summer of 2018. Subsequently, along with Scott McTominay, the Brazilian was a key player in the Red Devils’ midfield pivot in the previous campaign.
However, since the former Ajax head coach’s arrival in the Red Devils’ dugout, the 30-year-old has struggled to get into the starting lineup.
Last summer, the Old Trafford side added Eriksen and Casemiro to their engine room. The two have been influential in the Dutch manager’s team at the Manchester-based club.
While the former Real Madrid star has cemented his place in the defensive midfield position, the Denmark international has been the gaffer’s preferred option in the number eight position.
Even in the absence of Eriksen and Casemiro, Bayern Munich loanee Marcel Sabitzer and Bruno Fernandes have been deployed deeper in the middle of the park.
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As a result, Fred has dropped down the pecking order. The Brazilian does have his strengths and brings industry to United’s engine room. However, the Brazilian leaves a lot to be desired with the ball at his feet. Therefore, it is not a surprise to see Ten Hag rely on other players who seemingly complement the gaffer’s style of play.
