While Manchester United were impressive in their win over City, Fred is still a major weakness for the side in midfield, according to Daniel Harris.
While the Red Devils have improved, Harris said on Monday's OTB AM that the Brazilian was not up to the standard of previous United midfielders.
“There are two very big problems with Fred. One of them is his right foot, which is one of the worst feet I’ve ever witnessed, and is up there - or down there with Antonio Valencia’s left foot.
“Until you’re able to regularly pass accurately off of both feet - to play that position that Michael Carrick did is hard.
“And the other thing about Fred is the carelessness. That is, quite probably, a deep-seated mental thing that he’s not careful in possession,” Harris.
Fred put in a high-energy performance at the Emirates on Saturday put Harris still feels that he is a long way off the standard of past Man United midfielders.
“I mean he has the ability to botch five and ten-yard square passes quite regularly. We saw that even against Tottenham, I remember. I think it was a shot he took actually that didn’t even go out for a throw-in.
“I’m picking one example there but Fred is extremely careless in possession and in order to change that it’s probably a matter of confidence but it’s partly a matter of mindset in how he approaches the game.
“So it’s hard to see how he’ll be as good a player as Roy Keane, [Paul] Scholes, Bryan Robson and Paul Ince - or even Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher.
“But that’s the standard that United’s midfield players need to be at but Fred is definitely making a case for himself to at least be a very useful squad player when someone better than him arrives.
Returning players make a major difference for United
While Harris has his reservations about Fred, he did feel overall that the team have come along nicely in recent times.
“The weekend was maybe the first time since the first or second game of the season where he’s been able to pick anything approaching his first 11. And this was also without Pogba.
“I think there have been signs over the last few weeks of growing understanding with the forwards and the ability to play through midfield.
“I think this was the first time probably since Fergie was manager where United went and took on a good team at playing a game of football.
“Whereas previously they played City or Liverpool and they’d try to sit back and hit on the brake,” Harris commented.
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