Man Utd flop Fred destroyed by Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves after passing horror show against AZ Alkmaar

MICHAEL OWEN and Owen Hargreaves have ripped into Manchester United star Fred for his dismal display against AZ Alkmaar.

United's £52million midfielder has struggled to do anything to justify his lofty price tag since arriving at Old Trafford in 2018.

And he turned in another horror show against Dutch minnows AZ Alkmaar in the drab goalless Europa league draw on Thursday night.

The performance of Fred, 26, caught the particular interest of BT Sport pundits Hargreaves and Owen - both former United players.

Owen said: "He's just a moderate player isn't he? That's the bottom line. What can you say?

"We were discussing his best position. I probably think it is a six, Owen thinks it is an eight.

"Really, once we start arguing about it, he cant do either role that well."

In just over a year as a United player, the Brazilian midfielder has made just 31 appearances in all competitions, scoring only once.

He now finds himself miles adrift of a regular starting role in the Premier League having been originally bought as a player to make the club genuine title challengers again.

Hargreaves added: "Regardless of where you play, you can't afford to give the ball away as much as he did today and he gave it away it a lot.

"I think there is a really good player in there, I just don't know why we are seeing him play like this.

"He had some terrific games at Shakhtar, that is why Manchester City were interested in him.

"Today was not the level that he is up to. He is really good on the ball normally, he has two feet, whether it is a confidence thing.

"It was a big opportunity for him to step up today and play really well and he did the opposite.

"You had Lindelof, Matic, Fred, that's a lot of money, you can expect more shots on target.

"This is what you expect when Man United play away from home and it's not much offensively."