During Fred's early months in the Premier League, it would be fair to say many Manchester City fans will have felt their team had dodged a bullet.
Prior to his move to the red side of Manchester, speculation was rife that Pep Guardiola had identified Fred – at Shakhtar Donetsk back then – as a long-term replacement for Fernandinho in midfield.
Fred had made a reputation for himself as an effective box-to-box midfielder who could have an impact on the ball as well as off it.
But it was difficult to see what possessed Manchester United to pip City to his reported £55million signing during the 2018-19 season, as he struggled with the tempo of the game and didn't appear to offer anything particularly outstanding to any part of the United unit.
However, as the past year or so – especially this season – highlights, Fred has become one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's most-trusted individuals.
As United welcome City to Old Trafford in Wednesday's EFL Cup semi-final, Fred has another chance to show why that is the case.
MR DEPENDABLE?
Fred may have only started 10 of United's 16 Premier League games this term, but a telling pattern emerges when you look at which matches they were.
Among those games, he was in Solskjaer's line-up for outings against Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Southampton, City, Leeds United, Leicester City and Aston Villa.
All of those are, of course, either 'big six' rivals or teams pushing to be in the upper echelons of the Premier League this term. He was brought on at half-time in the 6-1 demolition by Tottenham, and while he hardly held Spurs at bay, they were at the very least less rampant in the second half.
It cannot be a coincidence that these are the type of matches Fred has been used in most often, with Solskjaer clearly valuing the midfielder's off-the-ball qualities as United regularly look to absorb pressure and spring counter-attacks.
That will likely be the tactic again as United host EFL Cup holders City in Wednesday's semi-final, a one-legged repeat of last season's two-match tie in the same round.
A year on from the 2019-20 first leg, Solskjaer will be hoping for a rather different outcome, as City – opting to go with a false nine – overran United's midfield and battered them at Old Trafford that day, deservedly winning 3-1.
There will likely be just four players from the United starting XI of the game a year ago who line up on Wednesday, with Fred one of them. The upheaval in the squad has been significant, but it's telling that the Brazilian is one of those still playing a role, and an important one at that.
He may have let himself down again with a red card against Paris Saint-Germain, but it seems Solskjaer accepted responsibility over that incident.
FRED THE FACILITATOR
It seems highly unlikely Fred will ever be in the running for any of the Premier League's end-of-season individual awards – he doesn't score or create enough, and you cannot say his influence is anything like that of N'Golo Kante in the title-winning Leicester City side.
But, one player who surely will be a candidate for individual gongs is Bruno Fernandes, and players like him need colleagues like Fred in order to thrive.
The Brazil international is well-rounded and has the technical ability to lend support in offensive situations, such as his neat interchanges with Paul Pogba against Aston Villa last time out.
But Fred is undoubtedly at his most effective when his side are not in possession, with his 49 tackles more than any other United or City midfielder in all competitions this term.
It's a similar story with his interceptions count. Fred has made 30 in 2020-21, five more than Rodrigo, who ranks second among the United and City engine room players. That is despite Fred despite playing over 400 minutes less than City's Spain international. Of course, City generally have more of the ball than United, but it still highlights Fred's awareness.
Critics might point out his 12 key passes is a rather meagre total, but with Bruno Fernandes (69) creating chances with such frequency, one could argue it doesn't matter – after all, Fred isn't being put in the team to be a creator.
Curiously, in the league since January 1 last year, United actually have a worse win percentage (50) with Fred in the starting XI than they do without him (71.4), though this is clearly skewed by the fact he is often reserved for games against better opposition.
But what is notable from this time period is United concede fewer shots - 10.3 per game - on average when Fred starts. That goes up to 12.1 shots per 90 minutes when he's not in the first XI – while the team's own shots count increases from 12.4 to 15 each game with the Internacional youth product in the side.
Opta's advanced passing data also reflects favourably on Fred, particularly with respect to starting three open-play sequences that ended in a goal, which is the joint second highest in the Premier League this term.
He has also initiated four open-play passing sequences that led to a shot, which only Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Fernandes can better in the Red Devils' squad.
UNNOTICED, UNDER-APPRECIATED, BUT NOT USELESS
Fred is perhaps the sort of player many would consider dispensable, and maybe he is in certain matches. Rarely does he stand out as an individual, certainly not to the extent of say Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, and much of his work can go unnoticed.
But many of us inadvertently analyse players in isolation and by their individual numbers, rather than how they fit into the collective. Sure, Fred doesn't create many chances, but what he offers United off the ball is seemingly vital for Solskjaer.
Fred may not be the player a lot of United fans expected two and a half years ago, but he has certainly proven himself to be no dud.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis saw the Los Angeles Lakers to another win in the NBA, while the Clippers fell on Tuesday.
James (26 points and 11 rebounds) and Davis (26 points and 10 rebounds) both had double-doubles in a 94-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Lakers stars became the third pair of team-mates in the past 10 years to have 25-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in the same game with neither committing a personal foul, according to Stats Perform.
The previous two occasions also featured James – alongside Dwyane Wade in 2013 and Kevin Love three years later.
While the Lakers are 6-2, the Clippers slipped to 5-3 following a 116-113 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Kawhi Leonard posted 30 points and 10 assists, but the Clippers were beaten by a Patty Mills-inspired Spurs.
Mills was eight-of-12 from three-point range for 27 points in 28 minutes off the bench.
Irving lifts Nets as Jokic dominates
Kyrie Irving had 29 points, six rebounds and five assists as the Brooklyn Nets thrashed the Utah Jazz 130-96.
Nikola Jokic posted 35 points and 15 rebounds to help the Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 123-116.
The Timberwolves slumped to 2-5 despite 33 points and 11 assists from D'Angelo Russell.
Otto Porter Jr. (19 points and 13 rebounds) and Coby White (21 points and 10 rebounds) had double-doubles in the Chicago Bulls' 111-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Bulls came from 18 points down after the first quarter. It marked the second time in franchise history they have trailed by 18-plus points at the end of the first quarter and come back to win, as per Stats Perform.
Valanciunas struggles
Jonas Valanciunas went four-of-13 from the field in the Grizzlies' loss. The center had 13 points to go with 11 rebounds.
Irving in form
Without Kevin Durant, Irving stepped up for the Nets. He was seven-of-seven from the field and four-of-four from three-point range for 18 points in the first quarter.
Tuesday's results
Brooklyn Nets 130-96 Utah Jazz
Los Angeles Lakers 94-92 Memphis Grizzlies
Denver Nuggets 123-116 Minnesota Timberwolves
San Antonio Spurs 116-113 Los Angeles Clippers
Chicago Bulls 111-108 Portland Trail Blazers
Clippers at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors (4-3) will host the Clippers on Wednesday. Stephen Curry has made an impressive start to the season for the Warriors, averaging 32 points, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds.
Jose Mourinho labelled Son Heung-min a "special player" after Tottenham reached the EFL Cup final on Tuesday.
Moussa Sissoko and Son scored as Spurs recorded a 2-0 win over Brentford, who were reduced to 10 men after Josh Dasilva's late red card.
Only Harry Kane (17) has scored more goals in all competitions this season than Son (16) among Premier League players.
Mourinho lauded the forward, who had more key passes (three) and shots on target (two) than any other player against Brentford.
"That's the humility of a player. That's Sonny. That's the human nature. He's like that. Some other guys they are not like that. For him it's the team," the Spurs head coach told a news conference.
"For him, for [Harry] Kane, for Lucas [Moura], for many the team is first and of course we depend a lot on the characteristics of some players. Sonny is one of them.
"He had two chances. He had a good volley. I saw the ball in the net but unfortunately, I was wrong and the ball went out. Then he faced the keeper in a difficult moment of the game, where the game is open.
"The opponent is trying and pushing and he goes and he kills the game. So special player but also a special human being."
Spurs' next outing is a trip to non-league side Marine in the FA Cup on Sunday.
Kyle Jamieson inspired New Zealand to a comprehensive win over Pakistan in the second Test in Christchurch.
Jamieson took 6-48 in the second innings, and 11 wickets for the match, as the Black Caps wrapped up victory by an innings and 176 runs on day four at Hagley Oval on Wednesday.
Pakistan were dismissed for 186 as New Zealand won a sixth straight Test for the first time in their history and secured a 2-0 series success, going top of the world rankings for the first time.
Azhar Ali (37) and Zafar Gohar (37) provided the most resistance as the tourists had no answers to Jamieson and Trent Boult (3-43).
Only Richard Hadlee (15 against Australia in 1985) and Daniel Vettori (12, twice) have taken more wickets in a single Test for New Zealand than Jamieson's 11.
Pakistan resumed at 8-1, still trailing by 354 runs, before Mohammad Abbas (3) fell early after edging Boult behind to BJ Watling, and wasting a review.
Substitute fielder Will Young then took a spectacular one-handed catch diving to his right at point to remove Abid Ali (26) off Jamieson.
Haris Sohail (15) and Azhar edged Jamieson behind to leave Pakistan at 88-5 and the Black Caps well on track for victory.
Mohammad Rizwan (10), Fawad Alam (16) and Faheem Ashraf (28) provided limited resistance before Gohar's late hitting, with Kane Williamson – who made a double century on Tuesday – chipping in with a wicket.
Tim Paine hinted David Warner's inclusion for Australia in the third Test against India may not be the only change to the side.
Warner is set to return from an adductor injury when the third Test begins in Sydney on Thursday, and Will Pucovski appears set to make his international debut.
Australia captain Paine confirmed on Wednesday a team had been picked – but he would not publicly name it just yet.
"We've got a team, we're just not releasing it at the moment," he told a news conference.
"The boys are still training at the moment so we'll get through that first unscathed and then we'll try and get a team out as quickly as we can after that.
"Obviously with David playing and potentially more, there's some conversation that need to be had first."
Paine confirmed Pucovski would open if he played, with Joe Burns already omitted from the squad.
That is likely to see Matthew Wade return to the middle-order and Travis Head potentially dropped.
In October and November last year, Pucovski became the first player to score double centuries in consecutive Sheffield Shield innings since Dene Hills in 1997-98.
Paine praised Warner, whose absence has been felt as Australia struggled with the bat in the opening two Tests.
"Davey's been awesome, brings really high intensity, fills guys with confidence around him," he said.
"He's a player that you love having on your side, he's always got plenty to say, really energetic, very professional and I've always loved playing with him and I know he's a player in this team that guys love to have in our side.
"He's made an instant impact with that energy and intensity that he brings.
"Will's been fantastic as well. He's been out of the bubble for a couple of weeks so he's excited, he's fresh, he's been batting really well in the nets and looks ready to go if he was called upon."
Jose Mourinho hailed a win of huge importance after Tottenham overcame Brentford 2-0 to reach the EFL Cup final.
Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min were on target to see Spurs past their Championship opponents, who finished with 10 men after Josh Dasilva was dismissed for a challenge that left Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with a gashed shin.
Tottenham have not won a piece of major silverware since lifting this trophy back in 2008 and it is a competition Mourinho has won four times.
The last of those came with Manchester United in 2017, with his former club taking on holders Manchester City in Wednesday's semi-final.
"It's a game that takes us to a final. Probably, I hope not, but probably an empty Wembley final but a Wembley final," Mourinho told Sky Sports, casting doubt on the EFL's ambitions to have a crowd at its rearranged April showpiece.
"I'm very, very happy with that. Of course we had matches this year against the biggest clubs in the country, we had London derbies, but this one is one that got us in a final
"I would consider that a very important match for us. Now we have this final in the pocket for a few months.
"We have to forget it and focus on what we have to play in the FA Cup, the Premier League and Europa League."
Brentford fell foul of a marginal VAR offside call when Ivan Toney thought he had equalised after the hour and Mourinho conceded it was not a vintage Tottenham display.
"Solid enough to win," he said. "The game was way under control. They had an offside goal and one penetration on the right-hand side.
"We did not play brilliantly with the ball. Sometimes the wrong decision, sometimes one more touch and not that soft control that allows you to play fast.
"But the game was always under control against a team who are probably coming here next year to play in the Premier League."
Manchester City will seek to reassert themselves against Manchester United in Wednesday's EFL Cup semi-final, with their status as the leading team in the rivalry for much of the past decade a source of pride to Pep Guardiola.
City have not finished below their neighbours in the Premier League since United's most recent Premier League title success in 2012-13, winning three subsequent top-flight crowns themselves.
Two of those came under Guardiola, United finishing a distant second in 2017-18 as City racked up a record-breaking 100-point haul.
The sides also met at the same stage of the EFL Cup last season, as City prevailed en route to a third consecutive Wembley success in the competition, although there have been signs that the local argument is starting to turn of late.
“United has always been a big club," Guardiola said. "When I faced them with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and here, it was always important.
"It is a rivalry in the city and for many decades United was above Manchester City. For us, we are incredibly proud and it is an honour for the last decade to be there with them and sometimes win, most of the times, and sometimes lose."
A 3-1 first-leg triumph in last season's semi-final is City's only victory in the most recent five Manchester derbies.
United restored pride and caused nerves to jangle with a 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium as Nemanja Matic scored and was sent off in the return game, while also completing a Premier League double in 2019-20 either side of those matches.
Both teams have hit more impressive form since December's turgid 0-0 draw at Old Trafford in their most recent encounter, although it is United who sit level on points with champions Liverpool at the summit and have a chance to go top if they avoid defeat in their game in hand against Burnley next week.
"They have always been contenders," Guardiola said. "Every year, when we start the season, United is a contender.
"If it didn’t happen in the last few seasons, it is a question for them. It is no different facing United or other contenders."
City turned in a majestic performance as they dispatched Chelsea 3-1 at the weekend - a performance that was all the more impressive after a coronavirus outbreak robbed them of six first-team players.
Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus have now completed 10 days of self-isolation after having positive tests confirmed on Christmas Day, but Ederson, Ferran Torres, Eric Garcia and Tommy Doyle will remain unavailable at Old Trafford for a one-off encounter - the EFL having ditched its usual two-legged format to ease fixture congestion.
“We don’t have many players. To play one or two games is okay but if this sustains for a long time and I can only use 14 or 15 players it will be more difficult," Guardiola explained.
"Like everyone in the world, we adapt, you have to adjust our lives and our professions as much as possible and we don’t have an alternative.
"The most important thing is that the guys who have COVID can recover well and the guys handle it well and try to avoid it as much as possible."
City will be in action for the first time since the death of club great Colin Bell, who passed away after a short illness, aged 74.
Players past and present lined up to pay tribute to Bell on Tuesday, with former City captain Vincent Kompany tweeting: "So very sad to hear [of] Colin Bell's passing. Heard all about The King!
"A true Manchester City legend. This man was on another level, if only I could have seen him play. Incredibly kind and humble when I met him."
Tottenham booked a place in the EFL Cup final as Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min got the goals in a 2-0 victory over Brentford.
Thomas Frank's Championship promotion-chasers headed into the match bolstered by a 16-match unbeaten run and victories over four other Premier League sides in this season's competition, but Sissoko's 12th-minute header punctured any early enthusiasm.
The visitors posed enough questions of Spurs in their usual eloquent style and Ivan Toney had a 63rd-minute header disallowed for offside.
Son then streaked clear of their defence to hammer home his 16th goal of the season and grant Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho his latest shot at silverware.
Brentford finshed with 10 men after Josh Dasilva's ugly lunge caught Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
They had given themselves an uphill task by allowing Sissoko far too much room to glance home Sergio Reguilon's left-wing cross in a first half of few chances.
Toney outmuscled Davinson Sanchez to get on the end of Bryan Mbeumo's floated 34th-minute delivery, although Hugo Lloris was equal to a looping header.
The Brentford striker arguably caused his own goalkeeper more discomfort when Lucas Moura's header from Son's corner spun off Toney, with David Raya saving superbly as he tumbled backwards to his left.
Serge Aurier made a vital last-ditch challenge to thwart Toney after Mbeumo got the better of Sanchez five minutes into the second half.
Aurier and Son spurned presentable chances and Toney thought he had equalised for Brentford, only for a VAR review to show he was fractionally offside.
That close shave roused Spurs from their second-half torpor and Harry Kane combined with Tanguy Ndombele for the latter to slide Son through for an emphatic finish.
A spirited Brentford were sapped by that strike and needed another impressive intervention from Raya to prevent Kane from adding further gloss to the scoreline.
Dasilva was deservedly dismissed six minutes from time after leaving Hojbjerg with an ugly gash on his shin.
What does it mean? Mourinho's League Cup love affair continues
Mourinho has lifted the three-handled trophy on four occasions and it was his first honour in English football with Chelsea back in 2005. It was also the last major prize Spurs were able to collect, back in 2008. Victory over either of the other semi-final combatants - his former club Manchester United or Pep Guardiola and holders Manchester City - would surely by richly enjoyed by Mourinho if he and his players can complete the job at Wembley in April.
What's next?
Both sides turn their attention towards the FA Cup this weekend, with Brentford hosting Championship counterparts Middlesbrough and Spurs travelling to non-league Marine in the most intriguing tie of the third round.
Former Manchester City and England midfielder Colin Bell has died, aged 74.
The Premier League club confirmed that Bell, rated by many as the finest player in City's history, passed away after "a short, non-COVID related illness" on Tuesday.
Bell was the driving force of a side that pipped Matt Busby's Manchester United to the 1967-68 Division One title - City's last top-flight triumph for 44 years until Sergio Aguero's final-day heroics against Queens Park Rangers in 2012.
Guided by manager Joe Mercer and his pioneering coach Malcolm Allison, Bell starred alongside fellow club greats Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee as City won the 1969 FA Cup and the League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup in 1970.
Over the course of a 13-year career at Maine Road, which was curtailed by a serious knee injury, Bell made 492 appearances and scored 152 goals.
In 2004, City fans voted for the main stand at the Etihad Stadium to be renamed in his honour.
Bell played 48 times for England, scoring nine times, and was part of the squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
"Colin Bell will always be remembered as one of Manchester City’s greatest players and the very sad news today of his passing will affect everybody connected to our club," said chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak in a statement.
"I am fortunate to be able to speak regularly to his former manager and teammates, and it’s clear to me that Colin was a player held in the highest regard by all those who had the privilege of playing alongside him or seeing him play.
"The passage of time does little to erase the memories of his genius. The fact that we have a stand at the Etihad Stadium named after Colin speaks volumes about the importance of his contribution to this club.
"Our club has lost a true great. Everyone’s thoughts and best wishes are with Colin’s family."
Formula One rising star Lando Norris has tested positive for COVID-19 while holidaying in Dubai.
The McLaren driver, who had a first career podium among seven top-six finishes last season, said he was largely asymptomatic but had lost his sense of taste and smell.
Norris, 21, was taking a break in the United Arab Emirates and will be confined to his hotel room for two weeks as a result.
On Tuesday, he wrote in a message posted to Twitter: "Hi everyone, hope you are all keeping well. Yesterday I lost my sense of taste and smell so immediately self isolated [sic] and took a test.
“It's come back as positive, so I've told everyone that I’ve been in contact with and will be self isolating for the next 14 days.
“I feel alright and have no other symptoms but I just wanted to let you all know. Take care.”
McLaren confirmed the positive, saying it came before Norris was due to join the team for pre-season preparations.
The team said in a statement: "McLaren can confirm that Lando Norris tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday in Dubai, where he is currently on holiday ahead of a planned training camp."
The 2021 Formula One season is scheduled to start in Australia with a March 21 race; however, reports have indicated that grand prix is likely to be pushed back until later in the year due to Melbourne's quarantine restrictions.
That would mean the campaign getting under way a week later in Bahrain, with pre-season testing switching to Bahrain from Barcelona also reported to be a possibility.
Barcelona were boosted on Tuesday as Ronald Koeman's squad received the COVID-19 all-clear in the wake of two members of staff testing positive.
A morning training session was called off as players underwent tests to determine whether the virus may have spread among the group.
But there were no positives detected and that meant Koeman's charges could train in the evening, ahead of playing Wednesday's match against Athletic Bilbao.
A club statement read: "In accordance with LaLiga protocol, the FC Barcelona first-team squad undertook PCR tests on Tuesday morning. All tests came back negative."
The Camp Nou giants said on Monday that two members of the first-team staff had returned positives for coronavirus, and sports and health authorities were informed about those results.
Koeman's team sit fifth in LaLiga ahead of their trip to the Basque Country to play Athletic, who are ninth.
Barcelona, who are 10 points off the top of LaLiga, have won the previous two matches on their travels after going four away league games without a win.
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone welcomed Kieran Trippier back to training after his 10-week suspension for betting offences was put on hold by FIFA.
The 30-year-old defender was issued with the ban and a fine of £70,000 on December 23 after the Football Association (FA) found him guilty of four of seven alleged breaches of rule E8(1)(b).
Atletico appealed against the punishment to FIFA, and world football's governing body has cleared Trippier to play while its appeal committee considers the matter.
In the written reasons explaining its independent regulatory commission's decision, which the FA published on Tuesday, it was revealed Trippier told a friend, "Lump on if you want mate" in one of a series messages on a WhatsApp group discussing the progress of his €22million transfer to Atleti in July 2019.
Trippier's claim that the messages were "banter" did not pass muster with the commission and it was discovered one of his friends, Oliver Hawley, placed 10 separate bets between £20 and £65 on the right-back joining Atletico.
Matthew Brady, who asked Trippier, "Shall I lump on you going there?" and two other friends placed further bets ranging from £20 and £300.
"It [the ban] is on hold. We have Trippier back with us," Simeone said.
"I gave him a hug and they will tell me more in the coming days."
However, the former Tottenham player might have to wait for his return to action and will not feature in Wednesday's Copa del Rey tie at Cornella.
"He is training away from the group. Tomorrow, he will not take part in the game," Simeone confirmed.
As part of its investigation, the FA took into account witness statements on Trippier's behalf from England manager Gareth Southgate and Three Lions captain Harry Kane.
So far this season, he has played 19 matches in all competitions for Atletico.
Juventus wide player Juan Cuadrado has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss the clash with Serie A leaders Milan on Wednesday.
The Colombia international is asymptomatic but has begun a period of self-isolation, the Italian champions confirmed.
The news comes just a day after left-back Alex Sandro was ruled out after returning a positive test for the virus.
It means head coach Andrea Pirlo will be without two of his first-choice full-backs for the game at San Siro against Stefano Pioli's side, who are the only unbeaten team in Europe's top five leagues in the 2020-21 season.
The club said in a statement: "Juventus Football Club announces that, during the checks provided for by the protocol in force, Juan Cuadrado has emerged positive with COVID-19. The player has already been placed in solitary confinement and is asymptomatic."
Cuadrado, 32, has made 13 appearances in Serie A this term, scoring once.
Juve head into the Milan contest with a 10-point deficit to the league leaders, albeit with a game in hand.
While they have lost only once in 14 matches, Juve have won just seven times, leaving them in fifth place with 27 points.
They are hoping to avoid losing back-to-back league games against the Rossoneri for the first time since 2010, having been beaten 4-2 in the previous meeting last July.
The last time they faced Milan when behind them in the table was in November 2015, when a Paulo Dybala goal secured a 1-0 victory.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruled out of the Serie A clash between Milan and Juventus on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old striker has been sidelined since being substituted in the 3-1 win at Napoli on November 22.
The former Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain star has missed seven league games for the Serie A leaders, although the Rossoneri have fared well in his absence, winning five and drawing two of those matches.
Stefano Pioli's side are alone in Europe's top five leagues in that they have not lost a top-flight match since the 2019-20 season was initially shut down from last March.
They head into the match with champions Juve at San Siro knowing a win would move them 13 points clear of the Bianconeri, who are fifth with a game in hand.
Ibrahimovic had offered hope he could be fit to face his former club after recent injury trouble, posting training footage to social media on Monday with the caption "Tick tock tick tock".
Head coach Pioli, though, says the player is not fully fit and admitted to scolding him for causing a stir two days before the game.
"I told him off because, after that footage, I was peppered with phone calls," Pioli told reporters.
"He is better and he's working well, but he won't be in the game tomorrow."
Rafael Leao has performed well in Ibrahimovic's absence, scoring in the 2-1 win at Sassuolo and the 2-0 victory at Benevento in the past two and a half weeks, becoming the second-youngest foreign player to reach 10 Serie A goals for the club, behind only Alexandre Pato.
Pioli believes the 21-year-old's development is a sign of the way Milan have improved in the past year. The Rossoneri have taken 37 points from their first 15 league matches this term, the first time they have done so in the history of the competition in the three-points-per-win era.
“He’s growing a lot, he has characteristics that we must try to enhance in the right way," said Pioli. "The important thing is to see the will to grow and improve on a daily basis.
"All matches are opportunities to prove our worth. We have to concentrate on the game and raise our level because they are strong opponents, with experience, and they have been winning for years.
"We're showing we can play for it and we'll therefore play to win. We have scored 17 points more than last year. This is the right path, but we can't speak of a decisive match after 15 rounds."
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