03 December 2020

Owen tells Ole Solskjaer to ‘never play Fred again’ after ‘petulant’ headbutt

Michael Owen believes Manchester United midfielder Fred should never play for the club again after he headbutted Leandro Paredes during his side’s 3-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.

The Brazilian thrust his head into the face of the Argentinian but surprisingly only received a yellow card from the referee.

He would later be sent off for a second yellow card as a poor tackle on Ander Herrera brought an end to a dismal night for the 27-year-old and his team.

Fred was later shown a second yellow card and dismissed for a rash challenge

(Sportimage/PA Images)

"Mistakes all round really," Owen said on BT Sport while discussing Fred’s reckless performance.

"It was a red card. There wasn't much(in the headbutt) but come on, you're a grown man. You don't have to do these petulant little things to put your team at risk.

"If I was a manager and one of my players did this, just pure petulance, then he wouldn't play for me again.

"It's pathetic really."

United’s defeat to PSG means they need one point from their final Champions League group game away at RB Leipzig if they are to guarantee themselves a place in the last 16.

If the Red Devils do exit the competition before the knockout stages, it would be the first time they failed to make it through their Champions League group since the 2015-16 season.

All three other Premier League sides - Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City - have already booked their places in the next round with a game to spare.

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