Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen says Fred would never play for him again if he was manager of the Red Devils after his “pathetic” sending off in the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
United were beaten 3-1 by PSG in the Champions League, and it’s clear Owen was unimpressed with Fred getting himself a red card in the game.
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The Brazil international has had his critics during his time at Old Trafford and it remains to be seen if he will ever really win the fans over, and he hasn’t helped himself with this latest incident.
Owen was clearly fuming with Fred after the game and suggested that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is also to blame, whilst hinting the Norwegian tactician perhaps shouldn’t play him again after this.
“It [the clash with Paredes] was a red card. You’re a grown man, you don’t need to do a petulant thing like that to put your team at risk,” Owen said on BT Sport, as quoted by the Metro.
“If I was a manager, and one of my players did that, he would never play for me again. It’s pathetic.
“Overall you have to blame Fred but also Solskjaer. The manager has to protect him and the team in that situation so they’re both to blame.”
This perhaps seems a little over the top from Owen, but at the same time it’s clear that standards are not as high as they used to be at United, and a strong statement like axing Fred might send the right message.