To say that Manchester United and Liverpool are two of the biggest rivals in world football will be a massive understatement.
Both clubs have a rich history and a lot has been said and done between the fan bases. But interestingly enough, both the Red Devils and the Reds recently announced deals for two of the most promising midfield stars in the ongoing transfer window. While Liverpool secured the signing of Fabinho from AS Monaco for £40m, United snapped up Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk for £47m.
Both Manchester United and Liverpool lacked the desired depth in midfield last season. The Old Trafford outfit failed to win silverware last term and only managed to finish second in the Premier League behind Manchester City.
Liverpool too could not add to their trophy cabinet, but they did manage to reach the Champions League final against Real Madrid. However, the Merseyside giants were beaten 3-1 by Los Blancos, courtesy of two howlers from Loris Karius.
Now, with the likes of Fabinho and Fred in their ranks, the two clubs are expected to work wonders next season. But how do the two Brazilians compare to each other?
Fabinho vs Fred: Stats comparison
In 42 appearances across all competitions for Monaco last term, Fabinho scored 8 goals and provided 3 assists. His pass success rate stood at 85.2% and he won an average of 2.9 aerial duels per game. A defensive midfielder by trade, the 24-year-old averaged 3.4 tackles, 1.4 interceptions 1.6 clearances per game.
Before going ahead with Fred’s stats, it must be noted that he did not play much for Shakhtar last season. However, in the games that he played, Fabinho’s compatriot worked wonders. In 20 appearances across all competitions, Fred scored 2 goals and set up one more.
He started 8 times in the Europa League and in 2 of those games, Fred was named as the Man of The Match. On the defensive front, he averaged 2.6 tackles, 1 interception and 0.7 clearances per game.
Verdict
To be fair, Fabinho and Fred are different kinds of players -.while Fabinho is a destructive defensive midfielder, Fred is more of a box-to-box midfielder. But their stats more or less convey that both Liverpool and United will benefit from their presence next season
When it comes to the Premier League, adaptability will also be an area of scrutiny. And it goes without saying that the two Brazilians will have a lot of attention on their every move.
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