Will Fred be available for United v Newcastle?

However, the Norwegian is still hopeful that an agreement can be reached which will allow our no.17 to play.

Fred is one of eight Brazilians set to miss the weekend’s Premier League fixtures, due to the Brazil FA triggering a FIFA rule.

The regulation stipulates that the world governing body can ban players for five days if clubs don’t release them for international duty, meaning the former Shakhtar Donetsk man would also have to sit out the Champions League meeting with Young Boys on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old didn’t join up with the Selecao for recent fixtures for the games with Chile, Argentina and Peru due to current UK government quarantine requirements for those returning from red-list countries.

Solskjaer says United have done all we can to try to avoid the issue and is disappointed that common sense hasn’t prevailed.

“I think it’s a lose-lose-lose situation for everyone: national teams, players, clubs. It’s been a farce, really,” Solskjaer told reporters on Friday.

“The players want to play but we all know what kind of situation we find ourselves in the last year-and-a-half with the pandemic, the travels and everyone trying to limit the spread of the virus.

“We’ve worked really hard before this to try to find a way. Private jets, you know, there are ways of getting them in and out but all the decisions have gone against the players, that’s for sure.

“They want to play for their national teams, they want to play for their clubs, but they’re not allowed. For me, I’m disappointed with whole thing. Common sense might not be so common anymore.

“We need to prepare for the game without Fred but still, fingers crossed, that some sense can come into people’s minds and that we can use him.”