Marouane Fellaini has had a rough time of it in his first season at Manchester United.
The midfielder signed on with United on transfer deadline day for a cool $46m, so he already had the burden of expectation on his shoulders. Manager David Moyes had been his boss at Everton and was already talking up the Belgian, but Fellaini made just three appearances before picking up an injury at the beginning of October.
Fellaini ended up needing surgery, so he didn’t return until February - right in the middle of one of United’s most turbulent times. He quickly became a target for the criticism of fans as he failed to live up to the expectations set by Moyes. His season was, perhaps, encapsulated by a moment against Bayern Munich. Fellaini had won the ball and ran it up to the halfway point but, with a Bayern player closing in, the Belgian kicked the ball into touch.
He knows he needs to do better. And, in an interview with the Telegraph, he’s promised to prove his worth to Manchester United:
But after last week’s game against Hull, Fellaini’s spirits should’ve already received a boost. It was his first game under interim manager Ryan Giggs, who put him in a more advanced role. His performance was noticeably brighter, and Fellaini even notched his first of the season, his headed pass setting up James Wilson’s opening goal.
