Fred fuelled by manager's comments

The midfielder was cited by manager Erik ten Hag as an example to everybody recently, because of his attitude to work, and commitment to the cause, whether starting, or coming off the bench to have a big impact.

Fred was excellent in the recent derby win over Manchester City and is on a scoring streak, after netting in successive games. There was the gorgeous flick to Bruno Fernandes's cross in the Emirates FA Cup victory over Reading and then the touch over the line when Marcus Rashford teed him up to wrap up the 5-0 aggregate success in the Carabao Cup tie with Nottingham Forest.

Our upcoming games are against teams the Brazilian has scored against before. He netted the winner against Crystal Palace in Ralf Rangnick's first game in charge and has previously got on the scoresheet home and away against Leeds United.

Fred, speaking to United Review, Saturday's official matchday programme, was clearly delighted to feel he can set the tone for his colleagues, especially the younger ones.

"I'm really happy with this," he told us. "Obviously, I'd like to be an example for everybody.

"I'm at an age where you've gained experience and I obviously [want to] continue doing my best. I want to play more, of course, get more minutes, though, regardless of this, in my day-to-day work, I continue to set an example, doing my work, and I hope the young players can be inspired by this to do their best as well.

"I'm really happy and honoured by the manager saying that I'm an example for the young players and everyone in the dressing room."

Fred's strike against Palace last season was a cracker, and it was enough to secure the three points. Lately, his eye for goal has been really apparent too.

"It was one of the best," he replied, when asked where his 2021/22 strike against Saturday's opponents ranked for him. "It was a great goal, a placed finish, a beautiful strike from outside the box.

"It was an important moment too, it was the new manager's first game. We managed to win the game with my goal so it's a great memory, great game and I was delighted with the goal. They are lasting memories and I hope to score more goals like that in the future."

Another moment of magic from the Brazil international was the recent free-kick against Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup, which smashed against the woodwork.

It is another possible fertile area when it comes to finding the net and we may see him taking more set-pieces in the future.

"It was a great free-kick that I hit," he said. "We'd been training free-kicks the days before the game. The chance came up in that game, it came close. I could have scored. I've previously scored from a few set-pieces at Shakhtar [Donetsk]. I wouldn't take that many, I've always played with great free-kick takers, and I would always let them take the kick.

"Whenever the opportunity comes about, I'll do my best to score from a free-kick."

Read the full interview with Fred in Saturday's edition of United Review, the official matchday programme.