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As Manchester United’s major summer signing, Fred may well have expected more first team involvement at Old Trafford than he has had up to this point. 

The 11-cap Brazil international cost the Red Devils over £50 million to prise away from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer. The 25-year-old then started the first three games of the new Premier League season.

The midfielder has only been sparsely involved since then, though, despite Jose Mourinho’s side having endured some awful results in that time. 

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Fred was benched once again last time out as Manchester City dominated the game and controlled the middle of the park throughout the Manchester derby. Marouane Fellaini played, rather than Fred, despite not being fit enough to start the match - as admitted by Mourinho after the game.

As reported by the club’s official website, the Portuguese boss said in the post-match interview: “Fellaini shouldn’t play for 90 minutes because it was too much for him. He should be on the bench and come on later in the game. But he had to play because of Paul [Pogba]’s absence.”

That is a damning indictment of Fred’s role in the squad, as surely Mourinho’s could have constructed a more balanced and fitter midfield unit by including the Brazilian.

What do you think, United fans - should Fred be restored to the first team after the international break?