Pereira: How I've helped Fred to settle at United
Andreas Pereira has revealed how he has taken Fred under his wing to help the summer signing settle at Manchester United.
Our new no.17 transferred from Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk in June and linked up with the Reds squad for Tour 2018, presented by Aon, after returning from the World Cup in Russia.
Belgian-born Brazilian star Pereira played with Fred during the last three pre-season games in the United States and has taken it upon himself to support his fellow countryman while he adapts to life in Manchester.
"He’s from the same country so I help him," Andreas told us this week. "I try to do my best to help him and all of his family that have arrived. I’ve tried to help him feel at home so he can play better and better and he feels comfortable.
“He’s a very good guy. He’s settling in very well – he’s trying to speak English, he’s trying to adapt to his team-mates, so he’s doing very well.”
Pereira and Fred could play alongside each other when United kick off the 2018/19 Premier League season on Friday night against Leicester City at Old Trafford.
Pereira’s form was among the highlights of the pre-season tour, after the no.15 shone in midfield following his return from a loan spell in Spain at Valencia. “I can say I’m happy with pre-season,” Andreas said. “It was good for me to play a lot of minutes, so I’m sure I’m fit and it shows that I can play 90 minutes.”
“I’m still learning every day so it’s very important for me,” Andreas said. “It’s difficult as well to adapt, but I’m learning. I feel comfortable in this position, I’m feeling good and confident, so I’m trying to learn every day more and more, and to keep doing my best.
“It involves a lot of discipline. You have to play simple and make sure the players in front of you play. It’s playing simple, not taking a lot of risks and always look where you can help your team-mates.”
‘A STRONG START IS REALLY IMPORTANT’
United will play the first match of the new Premier League season when the Foxes visit the Theatre of Dreams on Friday. Pereira has emphasised the need to start strongly and secure a confidence-boosting win over Claude Puel’s team, to get the campaign up and running.
“I think it’s really important,” Andreas told us. “If we start strongly, we set a marker and we can go on from there. Of course it’s difficult if you lose the first game, so we want to win and do everything to start the season well.
“I think they [Leicester] are very strong and we shouldn’t underestimate them, but we are playing at home, we are Man United and we want to win.”
Watch build-up to United v Leicester live on MUTV from 18:00 BST on Friday.