Former Manchester United star is his new club’s ‘leader’ with 15 wins in a row

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Former Manchester United favourite Fred is emerging as ‘Fenerbahce’s on-pitch leader’ with the Turkish giants record with and without him in the team night and day.

The statistics tell their own story.

In the 15 appearances Fred has made since joining Fenerbahce in the summer transfer window, the former Manchester United midfielder has not been on the losing side even once.

In fact, his success rate is a staggering 100 per cent. 15 games, 15 wins.

Contrast that with Fenerbahce’s form in Fred’s absence, and you can see why his return to fitness after a brief injury absence was greeted with a such relief. While missing five games in November, the Super Lig challengers tasted victory just once, the Brazilian’s ball-winning belligerence much missed during that humiliating 6-1 Europa Conference League defeat at Nordsjaelland.

Fred shining at Fenerbahce

Fred was back in the Fenerbahce XI when Sivasspor came to town on Monday, his return coinciding with a comfortable 4-1 victory for a side now leading table on goal difference ahead of Galatasaray.

“Yesterday, we understood why Fenerbahce were paralyzed in the matches when Fred was injured,” reporter Halil Ozer writes for Miliyet.

“Look at the first goal Fenerbahce scored (after just ten minutes). Fred quickly won the ball and passed it to Tadic.”

The irony will not be lost on Manchester United supporters, Erik ten Hag’s stuttering midfield lacking the sort of energy and tenacity Fred used to bring to the team. How they could have done with him, for instance, during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle, the Red Devils struggling to match the hosts intensity and drive throughout.

Manchester United miss him

“We felt a change in level at Fenerbahce (vs Sivasspor) with Fred’s return,” Ugur Mekele adds, via Hurriyet.

“Without Fred, Fenerbahce could not win the ball back as easily. The midfield trio, led by Fred, is very effective in counter-pressing.

“Yesterday, Fred was the leader of the ball-recovery department. Sebastian Szymanski, Irfan Can and Dusan Tadic play better when Fred is on the field. A man who both plays and pushes those around him.

“Fred is Fenerbahce’s on-pitch leader. A captain doesn’t need the armband.”