Since beating Chelsea 4-0 in their first Premier League match of the season, Manchester United has dropped 5 points from a possible 6. The Red Devils drew 1-1 with Wolves on week 2 before going down 2-1 to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford five days later.
The loss to Palace highlighted Manchester United’s major weakness this season which is the lack of a creative midfielder. Jesse Lingard was deployed in that role and to say that his performance was disappointing would be understating it. He was frighteningly bad!
Ole Gunnar’s creative options are limited as Juan Mata’s form has taken a dip over the past year which leaves him with only Paul Pogba as his only credible option to play the role.
Problem is, the French midfielder has been deployed as a central midfielder where his energy and drive are more suited to a box to box role. However, with options limited and United looking blunt in attack, Ole Gunnar might have to consider playing Paul Pogba as the #10.
This would mean that a new partner to Scott McTominay has to emerge and luckily for Manchester United, that player is already at the club. Brazilian midfielder Fred is capable of playing the box to box role that Pogba plays.
He has great dribbling ability that enables him to go past the opposition’s press and his range of passing is as good as any other midfielder in the Manchester United ranks.
Fred and Scott McTominay partnership in midfield with Pogba supplying the final pass to Antony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Daniel James would suddenly make Manchester United a more balanced and creative outfit.
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