Neville: Fred & McTominay perform far better than I could have ever imagined

Gary Neville has heaped praise on Scott McTominay and Fred for their performances in what has become a blossoming partnership between the pair in the centre of midfield.

The duo have started together in both of Manchester United's victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City and have been Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first-choice pairing, when fit.

Having struggled to establish himself at Old Trafford, Fred is enjoying his best football since arriving at the club in the summer of 2018.

McTominay, similarly, has established himself as a key player for Solskjaer this season.

Whilst Neville admitted he had reservations about both players, he has been impressed by their recent performances, which have exceeded his expectations for both players.

"(They have performed) Far better than I could have ever imagined," Neville explained on Sky Sports Super Sunday.

"They showed glimpses last season, I think back to Paris-Saint Germain away where they did particularly well. I've always felt from a point of view, destroying they are better than a creative mode, that has been proven in Manchester United's general performances against the lower half of the table.

"If you asked, did I expect them to get to the level they have? Absolutely not. For me, Fred has been a massive disappointment. A mysterious purchase at one point I would say. For £60m, I didn't have a clue why the club would invest that much in him but he has improved a lot.

"In terms of McTominay, I thought he looked like a central defender playing in midfield when I first watched him. He's far better on the ball, the one thing he has is massive courage and belief in himself. The passing is a lot better and when you play people together regularly, you get a couple of victories, they will start to perform and prove they are really good players."