Fred incident vs Crystal Palace shows Erik ten Hag is resolving main Manchester United issue

Fred has emerged as one of Manchester United’s most consistent high performers this pre-season.

The midfielder has shown grit, cleverness and even a bit of flair during this summer’s three friendly wins. Erik ten Hag is still eager to bring in a midfielder but the Brazilian is so far making a very good case why he should be the new arrival’s central partner.

He made his point again in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace in Melbourne on Tuesday, threading some neat passes and linking the play nicely. His most explosive moment, though, came on 56 minutes and it didn’t involve a ball.

Jordan Ayew, who had left his foot in on multiple occasions during the match, chopped down Bruno Fernandes in midfield which prompted a furious reaction from Fred. The playmaker stormed up to the Palace attacker, getting in his face to tell him exactly what he thought of his behaviour before the pair were separated.

The incident was over within 30 seconds but it gave a great glimpse into the team camaraderie in camp under Ten Hag. It was evident that team cohesion was absent last season.

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