THERE was a time when the sight of Marouane Fellaini signalled the end of all hope.
An on-field symbol of David Moyes’ doomed ten-month reign.
Thrown on late in games when Louis van Gaal’s philosophy had fallen to pieces. Groans would greet his name on any starting sheet and cheers rang out when he was invariably taken out of the action. Come Sunday, Jose Mourinho will be hoping the big man with the big heart is ready for the big derby. Just as he was on a very big night in Stockholm at the end of last season. With Paul Pogba suspended there is a gaping hole in Manchester United’s midfield.
Mourinho wants Fellaini in there, he needs the Belgian in there. The manager needs to dismantle Manchester City in the same way he did Ajax and Fellaini was key to that. That night he was in tandem with Pogba but used in a very different way to how he would normally be in the Premier League. While Ajax are not Manchester City, they play a very similar style, slick passing and very high pressing. The Dutch side’s plan for that Europa League final was to hassle United in their own third and nick the ball straight back off them. So what did Mourinho tell his players to do? Just bang the ball over them, take out the threat. At first it looked desperate. But tactically it was spot-on.
What it needed to work, however, was Marcus Rashford’s pace running on to those long balls and Fellaini’s ability to win the ball in the air, hold it up and lay it off.
He did that superbly and Mourinho will need him to do it again. As good as United are — only City are better — they will not out-pass Pep Guardiola’s side. Mourinho, however, always has a plan and this could be it if Fellaini can recover from a knee problem in time.
The manager gave hope that that was a possibility when quizzed about player availability for Sunday. He will certainly want to lean more on him than Ander Herrera who is increasingly getting lost in games. While he needs Fellaini to provide the brawn, there is little doubt Juan Mata can provide the brain that will be lost with Pogba’s creativity unavailable. Witness his through ball for Rashford’s winning goal against CSKA Moscow on Tuesday night. He is certainly up for Sunday’s challenge as United look to cut that eight-point gap between themselves and City at the top. Eight points. Ring any bells? It does for Mata who is quick to remind people how quickly that gap can be bridged. In 2011-12 that was the difference between City and leaders United with six games to go. It was all over it seemed, but in the final stunning seconds of that season the advantage had been overturned.
Mata said: “I remember when United were ahead of City and then they won on goals. Its a crazy league and it’s too early to think that it’s finished.”
But Sunday’s showdown will go a long way to shaping this year’s title race and for Mata it will be some occasion. He added: “It’s a very special game, especially because of the position we both are in the table.
“Hopefully, first of all, it’s a great game of football and secondly we can win.
“We are doing what we have to do. We would love to be first in the table right now but we are doing lots of good things. “Now, especially on Sunday and during Christmas time, when we all know how difficult it is to win every game, we need to keep that pace if we want to be in a position to challenge at the end of the season.”
Team-mate Pogba spoke of his pain in missing Sunday’s derby — claiming he never meant the stamp on Hector Bellerin which earned his red card in United’s 3-1 win at Arsenal on Saturday.
It led to a three-match ban and Pogba said: “I’m very disappointed because I really want to help the team and be there for this derby. “I know Hector and I’d never give him a tackle like this. He was in a position that was a disadvantage for me so I did it. It looks very bad but the intention wasn’t like that.
“The referee, got the red card and that’s football. But I have complete trust in the team.
“Even if I am not there, I will be there watching the game giving positive energy and hopefully we are going to win.”
From The Sun
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