39 FRED
MANCHESTER UNITED
When Fred took to the Old Trafford pitch against Brentford in April, he became the first Brazilian to make 200 appearances for Manchester United.
The first thing that fact demonstrated is his resilience, because he has, at times, divided opinion among the fanbase. The ‘McFred’ midfield partnership with Scott McTominay was often criticised during the Red Devils’ torrid 2021-22 season. “As we say in Brazil, I carry the piano for the artists to play,” Fred explained during that campaign. “Some fans like me, others don’t, but football is like that. You need to learn to deal with criticism.”
Things have been much better in 2022-23, Erik ten Hag’s maiden season at the helm. The signing of Fred’s Selecao team-mate, Casemiro, has freed up the former Shakhtar Donetsk man for a more progressive role, sometimes from the bench. By mid-March, he had provided five assists and bagged six goals himself – his best single-season tally since 2012, when he was a teenager with Internacional in Brazil.
One of those strikes helped to secure a Europa League victory over Barcelona, against the midfielder who almost moved to Manchester United last summer. “Fred had an
