Marouane Fellaini was an unusually effective dribbler against Newcastle.
Manchester United edged an important 1-0 victory against Newcastle to stay in fourth position in the Premier League.
The Red Devils needed Ashley Young’s late goal to keep them above Liverpool, with the winner masking several mixed displays.
One of the more interesting performances came from Marouane Fellaini in midfield, with the Belgian preferred to playmaker Juan Mata.
The Belgian recorded an interesting statistic during the victory, making five successful dribbles. This is particularly notable as he has only managed seven all season long.
| Match | Dribbles Completed | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marouane Fellaini | Newcastle vs Man Utd | 5 | 82 |
| Marouane Fellaini | Man City vs Man Utd | 2 | 90 |
| Marouane Fellaini | Swansea vs Man Utd | 1 | 90 |
| Marouane Fellaini | Man Utd vs Liverpool | 1 | 90 |
| Marouane Fellaini | Southampton vs Man Utd | 1 | 90 |
| Marouane Fellaini | Arsenal vs Man Utd | 1 | 90 |
| Marouane Fellaini | Man Utd vs Hull City | 1 | 90 |
Five successful dribbles is perhaps not unusual, but for Fellaini, it’s clearly remarkable given his previous lack of success in the area.
The former Everton ace was typically effective in the air, winning seven aerial duels, while he also created one goalscoring opportunity.
The Belgian completed 83 per cent of his passes, considerably more than the ineffective Angel di Maria, who only managed a 64 per cent rate.
| Match | Won Contest | Aerial Duels Won | Ball Recoveries | Key Passes | Passing Accuracy | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marouane Fellaini | Newcastle vs Man Utd | 5 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 83% | 82 |
Fellaini seemed to fit the side playing away from home, and it’s possible he is asked to play a similar role in an important game later this month when United travel to Anfield to take on Brendan Rodgers’ in-form Liverpool.
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