8 Man United players who proved so many fans wrong

Fred

Having joined under Jose Mourinho, it can be argued that Fred arrived at Manchester United at the wrong time.

The mood in the dressing room was at an all-time low, we were playing boring football and there was no proper system at the club - aside from parking the bus in true Jose style.

As a result, Fred initially struggled and was deemed a flop by the fans. However, the Brazilian has sparked a commendable turnaround in his career and is one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's regular players now.

In fact, Fred has appeared 17 times in the Premier League this season, establishing a strong partnership with Scott McTominay. When asked about his improved form, the 27-year-old credited former Red Devil Michael Carrick.

Luke Shaw

The Englishman joined from Southampton in 2014 but was unable to make a strong impact at first. Add to that his terrible injury in 2015 and the left-back spot became a problematic position for the Red Devils.

Under Mourinho, Luke Shaw struggled to return to his best and the former manager's constant criticisms did no good. Now, however, Shaw looks like a different player.

He's defensively adept and is the most creative left-back in the Premier League this season. Luke was Sir Matt Busby's Player of the Year in 2018/19 for a reason and we believe he's a strong contender for this term as well.

Marcus Rashford

Labelled 'Trashford' and whatnot, Marcus Rashford has often faced the wrath of fans for a number of reasons.

Be it his performances on the field or his fight against child food poverty, the 23-year-old has made it a point to prove his detractors wrong one day at a time.

Fans think he's having a bad season but he's actually the fifth most lethal attacker in Europe. And that's not all - Marcus even provided the all-important assist for McTominay's goal in the win over West Ham. So much for being 'selfish'!

Marouane Fellaini

Let's be real - this had to be one of the oddest transfers of all time.

The Belgian joined United and was unable to play consistently. He showed flashes of brilliance but couldn't sustain it to nail a regular spot.

However, towards the end of his tenure with the Red Devils, Marouane Fellaini developed into something of a super-sub - a strong tactical weapon in the midfield.

Under Jose, Fellaini often came on in the second half and almost instantaneously made an impact in the midfield. At one point, he'd scored the most goals after the 90th minute. And let's not forget how he dominated Arsenal in Arsene Wenger's last visit to Old Trafford.

Michael Carrick

The man behind Fred's recent emergence did not have the best start either.

Carrick was often singled out as a weakness but he quietly went about doing his job and is now considered one of the most underrated players at the club.

It's great to have him part of the coaching staff now. Not only is he a midfield genius but he also knows what it's like to have the odds stacked against you.

David De Gea

He may be our undisputed No.1 right now but things weren't always so smooth for the Spaniard.

David De Gea took a lot of time to settle in at the club before he finally started delivering results. From being a nervous 20-year-old to evolving into the reliable player he is today, there has been quite a curve.

Lately, De Gea has been a tad shaky between the sticks but no one can deny that he's been our best player across many seasons in the past. The fact that he's won our Player of the Year thrice in a row speaks volumes.

Nemanja Vidic

Ask any United fan about Nemanja Vidic and they'll tell you he's one of our best centre-backs of all time. Despite going on to form one of the most iconic partnerships with Rio Ferdinand, the Serbian did not make a good start.

In an interview, Vidic even said that he wasn't 'ready to play for the U21s' when he first joined the club.

"After 45 minutes [into the game], Rene [Meulensteen] told me and Patrice [Evra] to have a shower. We did not play well. He was really shocked. Patrice and I looked at each other and said ‘wow’," revealed Nemanja.

And that brings us to the next name on the list.

Patrice Evra

We all know him as the fun Uncle Pat now but before becoming a cult hero, Evra had a rough start with the Red Devils.

He made his first appearance with Vidic and as the Serbian described, they were literally sent straight to the shower after the first half of an U23s game!

The left-back eventually made 278 appearances for United - scoring seven goals and providing 21 assists.