There were sarcastic cheers heard at Old Trafford as Fred was substituted off in Manchester United's match against Brighton.
Fred was poor and didn't provide United with much value in midfield but such treatment was unwarranted. The midfielder has been United's scapegoat over the last few years and that's not always been fair.
Although Fred was mostly anonymous on Tuesday night, it was still the right decision from Ralf Rangnick to restore him to the starting XI after his return from international duty.
Ahead of representing Brazil during the winter break, Fred's relentless energy had been instrumental in United's performances. His effort can never be questioned and he's recently added quality to his displays in the final third, which is crucial. Fred played his part in goals against Aston Villa in the FA Cup and in the Premier League, and his assist away at Brentford was sublime.
Fred's pressing is also an asset that Rangnick admires. It's telling that he's only been named on the bench for two games (BSC Young Boys and Wolves) across the German's tenure when he's been available.
Rangnick clearly trusts Fred, but that trust also extends to Scott McTominay, who has missed just one game under the interim boss (Young Boys) when available for selection.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's persistence with Fred and McTominay was a source of frustration for supporters, but Rangnick has continued starting the pair during his reign, albeit deploying them in a different system to Solskjaer's, which has suited both players.
The personnel at the club were signed to play in the 4-3-3 formation and Rangnick has now implemented that system. Truthfully, that was long overdue. With Paul Pogba having been sidelined, it has been Fred, McTominay and Bruno Fernandes that have recently made the midfield three, however, with Pogba now back in the frame, there is a selection dilemma for Rangnick to address.
While the balance that Pogba and Fernandes offer in a midfield three is dubious, it seems they might be the first two names on the team sheet in the three for the remainder of the season, and that will leave Fred and McTominay vying for the final position.
That suggests 2022 might be a difficult year for one player. Pogba is likely to leave United, which would open the door for Fred and McTominay to both start again, but the Manchester Evening News understands signing a midfielder is the club's priority this summer and that signing seems almost certain to start alongside Fernandes. The door would then slam shut again for one player.
There are various different factors that would make that prediction redundant. The most obvious is if Rangnick's successor doesn't want to play 4-3-3 at Old Trafford but, as mentioned, it seems United's personnel are at their best in that formation.
It's therefore interesting to compare Fred and McTominay, with theoretically only one of the two able to start in midfield next season, as whoever replaces Rangnick will interpret both players' statistics depending on their tactical philosophy.
To provide a comprehensive and fair comparison, it's worth analysing Fred's and McTominay's offensive, defensive and passing statistics. Although Fred has been among the goals recently, McTominay has typically been stronger going forward.
McTominay was a centre-forward in his youth career and that could perhaps explain why he's averaged more successful dribbles, more successful attacking actions and more expected goals (xG) per 90 than Fred in the Premier League this term.
However, McTominay's offensive superiority does not translate to passing metrics. Fred actually ranks better than McTominay on all metrics except one (crosses) regarding passing, including passes to the final third and successful long passes.
So, while McTominay prefers to drive the ball up the pitch, Fred is more capable of orchestrating attacks with his range of passing.
Although McTominay ranks better on offensive metrics and Fred ranks better on passing metrics, the difference between the pair isn't as defined when comparing their defensive credentials. The only significant difference is how many times they lose the ball.
Fred averages 6.3 ball losses while McTominay averages 3.7 ball losses per 90 in comparison, however, it's worth remembering Fred attempts 10 more passes on average per 90 than his midfield partner, which could explain this differential.
In layman's terms, you're more likely to lose the ball more often when you're attempting to make more passes each game.
Supporters will have their preference between Fred and McTominay, but it's hard to envy the next United boss potentially choosing between the pair to start in midfield. There's isn't much between them from a data perspective, which will be considered.
Perhaps the most likely solution is for the next manager to regularly change between the pair, but selecting a consistent starting XI in football can't be underestimated. Premier League winners have often shown that continuity in team selection is key.
It is a pleasant dilemma to have at United, albeit it's a dilemma that should have come about two years ago.
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