Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s decision not to take Fred off against PSG could kindly be described as a gamble.
To be more critical, it was a big error. A deliberate oversight and bad management.
Solskjaer was quick to make substitutes at the weekend. And back in the Europa League quarter-final, he substituted Eric Bailly because he was on a yellow. Fred was treated differently. Solskjaer indulged him and kept him on the pitch, and it backfired.
Fred’s second yellow was harsh. He got the ball and Ander Herrera went to ground like he had been struck by a missile. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was not happy with his former player, nor with Fred.
Speaking to BT Sport after the game, Solskjaer explained why he kept him on.
He also called out Herrera, while explaining that Fred actually did the opposite of what he had asked by diving in.
Solskjaer explained that he felt Fred’s performance justified him staying on the pitch, from his control at least.
The United manager said: “Fred had played really well. We spoke about staying calm, staying on your feet and the second yellow card is nowhere near a foul. Ander knows that. He definitely knows that.”
Fred was dismayed by the decision to give him a second yellow, but PSG felt it was long overdue.
He appeared to headbutt Leandro Paredes in the first half and was incredibly lucky to avoid a straight red card.
With five substitutes available and Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek waiting for chances, keeping Fred on was a gamble Solskjaer simply did not need to take.
When it came to making changes, United were down to 10 men and it was too late to turn it around.
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