Manchester United midfielder Fred admits coach Michael Carrick has been critical to his improvement this season.

Fred has told United People's TV that Carrick has been vital to his improvement.

"Michael Carrick helps me a lot day-to-day," said Fred, who revealed that the former United midfielder has helped him improve his positioning and his composure on the ball.

"We always talk and he tries to help me with my positioning on the field.

"Carrick is a guy that always helps me. He is someone that always talks to me, which is important for adapting my football for the Premier League.

"Because when I arrived I would control the ball in midfield and, well, one or two opposition players would come along and I'd be knocked off the ball. So now I can understand the game better and that I have to be quicker and stronger.

"Carrick helps me to calm down. We do some one-on-one training, so he's someone who influences me a lot at the club."

Fred accepted that it took him some time to adapt to the Premier League, but insisted that was normal for a player who had never experienced English football before his transfer.

He added: "Well I think it was an adaptation, to a new country, a new game style in England that is different, so I believe that was the most difficult thing for me. I had to adapt to a new style of game, which is the Premier League, and very different to the Ukrainian championship. But I think that is normal.

"I think the majority of players that come from other countries that don't have a championship as strong as here in the Premier League end up feeling that process of adaptation. So I think it's basically that."