United Briefing: Fred targeting a great run

The midfielder admits, while the players want to eradicate going behind in matches, he insists the squad's unerring belief has helped us recover brilliantly from difficult situations.

"The key to coming back and winning is our concentration in every game, going on to the pitch to do our best and be decisive and to believe," he told us.

"Our team have done this in some games this season, we’ve had some great performances, so we must aim for this consistency, to continue having great games and to go very far with a run of great performances.

"We’re very close to the top of the table and we’ve got some big games coming up in December," he added. "If we can win all of them, we’ll be very close to the leaders at the top of the league or we could even take first place. So we’ll look to win every game and I’m certain our team will do everything to reach the top of the table and stay there."

A consistent performer throughout 2020, Fred has received plenty of praise, of late, for his contribution in big games, most recently after another solid display in the Manchester derby.

"I really like playing in big games, I think all players like them too," he insisted. "Personally, I love them. I’m really happy to have had another big game, but I think we have to concentrate on all games, whoever the opposition. We have to aim to do our best and, with another big game coming up, I need to focus once again to put in another big performance."

As he reflected on a very strange year, on and off the pitch, Fred said that he is always aiming to do better when he steps out in the red shirt.

"It has been a difficult year for everybody, really different. Professionally speaking, I looked to grow and do my best here at Manchester United. There were some difficult games after the restart where I didn’t play that well, but I aimed to do my best during a difficult year.

"Personally, I think it was a year that gave us a lot to think about," he continued. "Think about what we’re capable of, to be better for our families and those around us. It was a year full of difficulties but when we stop to think about our families alongside us, we see that we have this affection from everybody to be close by, to be at home and closer to our families, so it’s been a really important year."

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY?

It's matchday for the Reds as we prepare to travel to Bramall Lane to take on Sheffield United in tonight's 20:00 GMT kick-off. Chris Wilder's team have endured a difficult campaign thus far and currently sit bottom of the table, thanks to just one point from 12 games.

United have the chance to edge within a few points of the leading teams at the Premier League summit with a victory, and we'll be looking to maintain our superb away form.

The Blades may have struggled this season but no-one will forget the tough time they gave us in the corresponding fixture last term, when we came from 2-0 down to take a 3-2 lead, only for Oli McBurnie to net an injury-time leveller for the hosts. Last time out against Sheffield United, we were 3-0 winners at Old Trafford, back in June, thanks to an Anthony Martial hat-trick.

Earlier in the day, MUTV are showing the Under-18s' home clash with Leeds United live, with kick-off at 11:30 GMT.

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY?

We started the day by announcing Manchester United Foundation, the club and FareShare Greater Manchester are joining forces to provide 80,000 meals to families from local communities as part of the Foundation’s Santa’s Red Helpers Christmas appeal.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer addressed the media on Wednesday lunchtime and gave updates on the fitness of Edinson Cavani, Phil Jones, Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo.

The manager also discussed Dean Henderson and his use of different formations in a must-see press conference.

The International Football Association Board also said football leagues around the world can apply to run a concussion substitutes trial from January 2021.

In the evening, Casey Stoney's United Women travelled to Everton for our rearranged, final FA Women's Continental League Cup group-stage match.