Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was asked about his midfield options ahead of facing Newcastle and namechecked Fred.
Fred got his fourth start of the season in the Europa League clash with Omonia Nicosia as United eventually won 1-0.
Ten Hag has reshaped his midfield over the summer, making Christian Eriksen a near fixture in his side and integrating Casemiro more in recent games.
But at his pre-match press conference before hosting Newcastle, Ten Hag was keen to point out the performance of Fred.
Ten Hag on Fred
When asked what his best midfield combination is, Ten Hag said: “Difficult to say in this moment, when they have to play longer together, but what’s important once again is that you need a squad.
“I think Fred played a good game tonight and he [did] really well in the counter-press; he wins a lot of balls. Unluckily, he didn’t score the goal.
“It was a really good move from him and he received the chipped ball, and [didn’t score] the header. That’s the kind of impact he has to give to the team.
“But I think we have some combinations and in the midfield it’s always about balance. So I am happy with all four and I hope they keep going in this way.”
Ten Hag’s comments come after he had also praised Fred’s performances in training earlier this week, so he is clearly keen to talk up the midfielder.
The Brazilian has been the main casualty of Eriksen’s arrival, which has given United more technical quality and control in midfield.
That has been reflected in the results, and many fans will be glad to see the end of the ‘McFred’ combination in midfield on a regular basis.
The midfielder still has plenty of energy and dynamism to offer as United embark on a period where they will need their whole squad.
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