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Fred happy to be the 'piano carrier'

Our no.17 joined the Reds in 2018 and for the majority of his spell in England so far he has been deployed as one of a central midfield pair.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk man has previously given interviews where he describes himself using a common phrase used in Brazil. He has been, by his own admission, a ‘piano carrier’: someone who does the unsung dirty work so that those further forward – ‘the artists’ – can thrive, or ‘play’.

However, 2021/22 was a good season individually for Fred, as he thrived in a more advanced ‘no.8’ role, topping his personal-best tallies for goals and assists for United, with four and six respectively over the course of the campaign.