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How Manchester United could line-up without Fred: alternative midfield duos to face Burnley

The Red Devils will be without Fred for Tuesday’s game against Burnley due to him testing positive for Covid-19.

Aiden Beswick
By Aiden Beswick
Published 8th Feb 2022, 14:27 BST

Manchester United will be without regular starter Fred for Tuesday’s Premier League clash against Burnley after the midfielder tested positive for Covid-19.

The Brazilian, who has featured in 18 of United’s 22 league games this season, could also miss their home fixture with Southampton on Saturday as confirmed by the club’s website.

Fred’s absence will mean interim manager Ralf Rangnick will have to assess his options as to which centre-midfielder partnership the Red Devils will start on Tuesday evening.

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Fred looks frustrated after Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. Credit: Getty.
Fred looks frustrated after Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. Credit: Getty.
Fred looks frustrated after Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. Credit: Getty.

With that being said, let’s take a look at how United could line-up without Fred and what combinations Rangnick has to pick from against Burnley.

Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba

Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba were the pairing of choice for the Red Devils’ fourth round FA Cup defeat against Middlesbrough on Friday, with the latter making a return from injury in the tie.

Despite the result, there were some promising signs from Pogba, with the French international contributing to both defensive and attacking phases of play.

Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic

Another option to partner McTominay in centre-midfield on Tuesday is Nemanja Matic. The Serbian has featured 13 times in the Premier League this campaign and would be a more defence-minded option for Rangnick.

Nemanja Matic could feature in Fred’s absence against Burnley. Credit: Getty.
Nemanja Matic could feature in Fred’s absence against Burnley. Credit: Getty.
Nemanja Matic could feature in Fred’s absence against Burnley. Credit: Getty.

Having Matic next to McTominay would allow for the Scottish international to continue in a box-to-box role, which has seen him impress as of late.

Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic

An alternate option to starting McTominay would be playing Pogba next to Matic, with the duo having a history of being a solid duo.

During the last eight fixtures of the 2019-20 season, the Frenchman and Serbian played alongside each other, with the club winning six of those games and drawing two.

Other factors

Despite that point made about Pogba and Matic, it’s likely that McTominay will retain his place in the starting XI if stats are anything to go by.

According to WhoScored.com, the Scotsman is United’s top rated player under Rangnick with a rating of 7.36, making for a predictable decision as to who will start against Burnley.

BurnleyPremier League