The Belgian was superb during Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
Just what has Louis van Gaal said to Marouane Fellaini this season?
The Belgian looks a complete reversal of the often bumbling Manchester United midfielder of yesteryear. And such is his from from a defensive point of view that the 27-year-old even looks unrecognisable from his time at Everton.
At Goodison Park, Fellaini was a menace in the air and used that going forward.
Now, under Van Gaal, the midfielder is an absolute rock at the other end of the pitch. And it showed against Liverpool yesterday afternoon.
| Tackles Won | Accurate Passes | Touches | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marouane Fellaini | 8 | 61 | 101 | 90 |
| Antonio Valencia | 4 | 43 | 84 | 90 |
| Alberto Moreno | 4 | 21 | 54 | 68 |
| Robin van Persie | 4 | 20 | 49 | 90 |
| Phil Jones | 3 | 46 | 73 | 89 |
Fellaini may have been less noticeable than usual against the Reds – he didn’t score any goals or get into any arguments with Jack Wilshere (yes, he’s Arsenal but we couldn’t resist) on this occasion…..
But, as Opta stats show, the 27-year-old was incredible where it mattered, something that was harder to detect at the time, due to how silently effective Fellaini was.
For instance, he won twice as many tackles as any other Manchester United or Liverpool player on the pitch. He also completed more passes than anyone and took more touches, topping a ton.
So, once again, what exactly has Van Gaal said to his midfielder? Because – whatever it is – it’s worked like a charm.
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