Manchester United fans were driven mad by Brazilian magic at Old Trafford.
From the same country that produced all-time greats such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Pelé, you’d be forgiven for having to double-check seeing Fred conjure up dazzling footwork – let alone in the penalty box. ‘opposition. But that’s exactly what happened against Atletico Madrid.
Enjoying one of his best spells since signing for United, the central midfielder was named alongside Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes in form again when Ralf Rangnick announced his starting XI for the draw of the Champions League.
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Usually tasked with keeping loose-footed players out of the opposition ranks, Fred has been allowed to use his energy further since the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, few could have expected him to bring out his inner Ronaldinho against the Spanish champions.
The 29-year-old burst into the penalty area and beat his man with a sensational two-footed kick. It came after he linked up with fellow countryman Alex Telles.
Atletico quickly avoided danger and eventually came up the other end to score the opener as time approached half time. But that wasn’t before Fred sent social media crashing. Reveling in his current form, fans have compared him to Ronaldinho and former United star Dimitar Berbatov.
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Predictably, several comments suggested that Fred had finally found his Brazilian passport, leaving others in shock. Here is a selection of social media posts shared by United supporters on Twitter.
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