After a poor first season at Manchester United, Fred has come on leaps and bounds at the club and has become one of the players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer relies upon.

Speaking with Globo Esporte, Fred has discussed what life was like when being labelled a ‘flop’ and what he’s focussed on to improve his game.

The first season was very difficult, I think many players suffer from it. I suffered a lot with my first season, even for the amount they paid. You come with a high expectation, it turns out that if you don’t play all the games well, you will be criticised. I suffered a lot of criticism from the press and the fans, but I always kept motivating myself, working. I never dropped the shuttlecock. I was even treated as a ‘flop’, a contract that doesn’t pay. But I kept working my best.

In the second season I started without playing, I stayed a few games away and then I managed to get the starting place. And then I came in a good sequence, I managed to win over the fans, the coach, the press, who speaks well. It is the result of hard work, it is not overnight.

If people criticise, you have to keep working. Sometimes it is good to hear criticism because you are more attentive. I heard some people on my side saying that I have to improve. Today I came back, I’m very happy and I want to stay for many years.

I think particularly what I improved was defensively. I didn’t score so well. I played for the biggest team in Ukraine, and there is a game where we used to keep the ball a lot, and it turns out that it didn’t require a lot of marking. Arriving here in the Premier League is different, you have to have a better fight, be faster with the ball. This I improved a lot, think faster. There are some things that I couldn’t do better in the first season, but I’ve been improving. And today I’m getting along with it. I think the main thing was the defensive part. In the offensive part, I improved the pass a lot, getting the ball faster in the congested medium, positioning. This improves with each workout and the trend is only to grow.

Paul Pogba has been brilliant over the past month, seemingly rejuvenated following the latest outburst from his agent Mino Raiola, and Fred hopes that Pogba doesn’t leave the club. 22bet site in Burundi would have had great odds on the Frenchman leaving the club not so long about, but the Fred is hoping he sticks around.

He is one of the guys who works hard, works hard, is very serious in training. Inside the locker room is a guy who helps us, is always in a good mood. We hope so much that he can stay, everyone knows his quality, this is indisputable. It helps us a lot on and off the field and donates to the maximum, whenever we donate to the maximum it makes great matches. And we hope he stays and is always at his best.

There is still Van de Beek playing there, Bruno is sometimes in a deeper role, too. Our midfield is one of the strongest in the Premier League. And having a good number in this midfield is of enormous importance. I hope to improve my performance. The training is good, we respect each other a lot, they are experienced players, they know how to deal with it, that when they play they do their best or cheer for their teammate.The group is doing what they deserve this year, and with that thought in mind we are going to seek this victory in the Premier League.