Manchester United
Man Utd must forget about offloading this first-team ace who joined only last summer – Here’s why Solskjaer must retain him
Manchester United opinion: Manchester United need to hold onto Fred
According to a report in the Daily Express, Manchester United might be open to the idea of moving on Fred, who only signed for the club last season. The Brazilian made the move while the 2018 World Cup was going on and a lot was expected of him after impressing in the Champions League for the past couple of seasons.
It’s what got him a place in the World Cup squad in the first place but it took him a lot of time to settle down at Old Trafford. His lack of physicality was a real problem for him in the beginning, as he’d often get bullied in duels by stronger midfielders and look for cheap fouls.
However, it didn’t help that the entire team was struggling at the time under Jose Mourinho and were bereft of confidence. He did show his quality at times in a deeper role but couldn’t get a consistent run of games with Nemanja Matic being the starter when available.
It looked like his career was going nowhere but he got a second chance under Solskajer when a lot of United’s starting midfielders like Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic were out for a period due to injury.
This allowed the likes of Fred and Scott McTominay to come to the fore and the two formed a very strong partnership in midfield.
Fred and McTominay impressed in the second leg against Paris Saint-Germain and also were the standout players for United in the two legs against Barcelona.
Fred played in his deeper midfield role and would pass the ball quickly in triangles to beat a press and relieve pressure. He’s also very good at playing line-breaking passes to set up attacking opportunities.
Fred also showed in those games that in short tight spaces, he’s very good at winning the ball back because of his small size.
All of these attributes will help Fred if there’s a better backline behind him and an organized press ahead of him as he can try and intercept the ball while the centre-backs go in to sweep up danger.
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This will allow Fred to dictate the tempo of the game. The likes of Nemanja Matic just don’t have the pace to recover and his passing is far too pedestrian for the Manchester United team that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used to play for.
Fred needs another chance before Manchester United come to a conclusion with him.
Manchester United Women travel to the Spanish capital for Thursday’s Women’s Champions League knockout phase playoff clash against Atletico Madrid Women. Both teams will be desperate to claim a first leg advantage ahead of next week’s return leg, with Bayern Munich waiting in the quarter finals for the winner of this tie.
Atletico were unconvincing in the league phase, but they ultimately did enough to secure an 11th place finish. The Spanish side won two of their opening four matches before losing back to back games against Man United and Juventus. They claimed a crucial 4-0 victory against Twente but mustered just one point from their final two matches.
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT, Thursday, February 12, 2026.
Venue: Centro Deportivo Wanda, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
TV: Disney+
New Manager Jose Herrera Seeks Turnaround
Atleti will enter the knockout rounds with a new manager after Jose Herrera was appointed head coach following the dismissal of Victor Martin, who failed to win any of his final 10 matches in regulation time. Herrera has overseen an upturn in fortunes with a 4-1 Copa de la Reina quarter final victory and a 1-0 away win over Levante at the weekend.
The Atleti boss faces a much tougher task on Thursday, especially as the hosts are yet to win a home game in the UWCL main draw this season. This is frankly concerning for a club of Atletico’s stature heading into such a crucial tie.
United Riding Nine Game Unbeaten Run
Marc Skinner’s side should carry significant momentum into Thursday’s first leg, having put together a nine game unbeaten run since losing 3-0 at home to Lyon in December. Man United have won each of their last five competitive matches, including a 2-0 win over Leicester at the weekend.
Ella Toone and Leah Galton remain unavailable due to hip and back injuries, respectively.
Predicted Lineups
Atlético Madrid (4-3-3): Gallardo; Alexia, Lloris, Lauren, Menayo; Fiamma, Boe Risa, Bartel; Sarriegi, Jensen, Medina
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis-Joyce; Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Zigiotti Olme, Miyazawa; Malard, Park, Rolfo; Terland
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Marc Skinner’s side continued their unbeaten start to 2026 in the Women’s Super League with a deserved 2-0 victory over Leicester at the King Power Stadium. Swedish star Julia Zigiotti Olme was key to United’s win with a goal and an assist, while super sub Elisabeth Terland made the game safe late on.
United started brightly and were ahead after 13 minutes when Zigiotti Olme’s cross beat Olivia Clark and crept in at the far post. Melvine Malard was twice denied by Clark before halftime as United dominated but couldn’t extend their lead.
The pressure eventually told late on when Terland made the game safe. Zigiotti Olme won the ball back high up the pitch and fed Terland, who showed great footwork to fire a low shot across the goal to seal a deserved victory.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (7/10): Called into action on several occasions but looked confident with no real scares.
Hanna Lundkvist (6/10): Did a good job filling in. Had a chance from a corner but couldn’t keep her header down.
Maya Le Tissier (7/10): Commanding performance from the captain who dealt comfortably with Leicester’s threat.
Dominique Janssen (7/10): Good shift alongside Le Tissier as Leicester struggled to cause problems.
Anna Sandberg (8/10): Strong showing from left back, always getting forward with good deliveries. Lucky to escape a penalty shout.
Midfield & Attack
Hinata Miyazawa (7/10): Great partnership with Zigiotti Olme on show again. Sent in an excellent ball for Schuller.
Julia Zigiotti Olme (8/10): United’s best player by a distance. Broke deadlock with cross that crept in before teeing up Terland. Absolutely outstanding.
Lisa Naalsund (6/10): Really quiet showing after starring against Liverpool. Hooked just after the hour.
Jess Park (6/10): Not at her best as Leicester kept her quiet. Engineered a chance, but the ball got stuck under her feet.
Lea Schuller (7/10): Her presence might have distracted the goalkeeper for the opener. Worked hard up front.
Melvine Malard (8/10): A real nuisance, making great runs. Had sights on the goal but couldn’t beat Clark.
Subs & Manager
Jayde Riviere (7/10): Solid showing off the bench. Good block on Alisha Lehmann late on.
Fridolina Rolfo (6/10): Had some good moments but couldn’t conjure up the second goal.
Elisabeth Terland (8/10): Loves scoring against Leicester. Five goals in five outings against the Foxes. Incredible record.
Simi Awujo (7/10): Forced Clark into a good save. Looked lively.
Marc Skinner (7/10): Happy with the win but disappointed by the margin. United dominated but needs more ruthlessness in front of the goal.
Also read: Manchester United WFC vs. Liverpool WFC : Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
Manchester United Women host bottom placed Liverpool at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday as Marc Skinner’s side look to extend their impressive seven game unbeaten run in all competitions. The Red Devils sit fourth in the WSL table, just one point behind third placed Arsenal, while the visitors are desperately fighting to avoid the relegation playoff.
United head into this derby clash in excellent form following their 4-1 thrashing of Aston Villa last weekend. Goals from Julia Zigiotti Olme, Elisabeth Terland, Jess Park and Hanna Lundkvist secured a dominant away victory that continued their momentum after beating Arsenal in the League Cup semi finals.
Kick-off: 11:55 GMT, Sunday, February 2, 2026
Venue: Leigh Sports Village, Manchester
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
United Chasing Champions League Qualification
This is a must win game for Manchester United if they want to maintain their push for UWCL qualification. Just four points separate Tottenham in fifth from Chelsea in second, making every match crucial in this tight battle for European places.
Skinner remains without Leah Galton and Ella Toone due to back and hip injuries respectively, though Gabby George and Fridolina Rolfo have returned to training. Elisabeth Terland and Hanna Lundkvist are pushing for starts after impressive substitute appearances against Villa.
Liverpool Boosted by First Win
Liverpool finally recorded their first WSL victory of the season last weekend, beating Tottenham with two stoppage time goals. Gareth Taylor has strengthened considerably in January, and several new arrivals featured in that crucial home win.
The Reds remain without Sam Kerr, Martha Thomas, Marie Hobinger and Zara Shaw, while January signing Anna Josendal is not ready to debut. Beata Olsson is back in full training and could feature.
Predicted Lineups:
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis Joyce; Lundkvist, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti Olme; Wangerheim, Park, Malard; Terland
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Falk; Shimizu, Clark, Fisk, Woodham; Nagano, O’Sullivan; Bergstrom, Kapocs, Holland; Enderby
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