Manchester United might soon need to rely on a Ralf Rangnick favourite again

The statistics so far this season don't make particularly good reading for the Fred fan club among Manchester United fans, of which I count myself one. But there's always the chance of redemption at Old Trafford, for a time at least.

As a supporter, you're drawn to like some players more than others, it's natural. As a supporter who is also a journalist covering the club you love, you also have to balance your own opinions with the pure facts and figures; you have to avoid agendas. But this is the final opinion piece I'm writing for the Manchester Evening News before moving on.

I'm even penning this article in the first person — not the done thing for journalists — to come clean about my admiration for Fred. I've always seen some of my own character in him: energetic and enthusiastic, but perhaps not the most talented. That's definitely me, both as an average five-a-side footballer and as a writer, too.

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But Fred has started just four games for United this season, three of which have been lost. He was hooked after 53 minutes against Brighton, at half-time in the Brentford shellacking and played the full 90 in the dismal 1-0 defeat by Real Sociedad. He lined up for Thursday's 1-0 reverse of Omonia Nicosia but had been replaced by the time Scott McTominay scored United's winner in stoppage time.

You cannot defend the indefensible. Fred's performances have not been up to scratch since Erik ten Hag walked through the door. And that may well be because he saw, in Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, two midfielders that were signed to take his spot in the team.

Casemiro is a proven Champions League winner and Brazil international (alongside Fred, of