Football
ESPN staff 9y

Marouane Fellaini, Man Utd Premier League Rank, No. 40

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Welcome to ESPN FC's #PremRank.

Beginning May 25, ESPN FC is counting down the top 50 players in the Premier League right now, as voted for by various columnists, editors and analysts. Who makes the cut? Disagree with our list? Tell us on Twitter using the hashtag #PremRank.

Why Marouane Fellaini makes the list

If there was a vote to elect the Premier League's comeback king of 2015, Fellaini would win by a landslide. The Belgium international has been transformed from being a symbol of United's decline to a shining light in their revival under boss Louis van Gaal.

While it may have been unjust to blame Fellaini for the failure of David Moyes to make his mark as United boss last season, the reality that the duo had worked together at Everton and Fellaini had become Moyes' first major signing for United meant that their stories at the club were intrinsically linked. As both failed miserably in the first few months, they were castigated in equal measure. A Fellaini resurgence seemed unlikely under Van Gaal's watch as he struggled to make his mark in the first half of the season, but his deployment in an attacking role has been the catalyst for a surge in form.

The standing ovation Fellaini received from the Old Trafford faithful following his key contribution to United's 4-2 win against Manchester City in April was confirmation that he is now emerging as a cult hero among the club's fans. What a tale.
-- Kevin Palmer

The stats that tell the story

- Committed 61 fouls this Premier League season, the most for Man United and sixth most in the league. His rate of 2.78 fouls per 90 minutes was the highest in the league.
- Won 61 percent of his aerial duels this season, best of any United midfielder and eighth best among all Premier League midfielders.

What the experts say

"The thought of Fellaini as the main man up front would have worried many supporters last year, but this season it may be seen as the natural evolution of his role. After all, he has fulfilled a similar brief in recent months, albeit in a slightly deeper position." -- Musa Okwonga, May 2015.

"Fellaini adds balance, his passing has improved significantly and while he's started under half of United's 32 league games, he's become a valued member of a settled side playing a 4-3-3 system. He gets goals too -- his header for United's second vs. City was his ninth for the season for club and country." -- Andy Mitten, April 2015.

"Instead of putting him as part of a duo, Van Gaal uses Fellaini to bustle through central areas and join the attack whichever of his various formations is employed. Victory at Arsenal in November owed much to Fellaini's role as agitator of the Gunners' midfield, and it was his pass that set up the move from which Wayne Rooney scored the deciding goal." -- John Brewin, December 2014.



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