Marouane Fellaini might have his uses, but they’re not amounting to results for Manchester United. In fact, they’re having the complete opposite effect.
Effective as a number 10 at Everton, most of his appearances under Louis van Gaal tis season have seen him start as a defensive midfielder, to help shield the United defence.
However, this stat would suggest that it’s a tactic that’s simply not working.
United have lost eight times this season – if you include their penalty shoot-out defeat at home to Middlesbrough in the League Cup.
All eight times, the Belgian has been playing.
Coincidence? Maybe so.
Put simply: Marouane doesn’t play, United don’t lose.
Man United are yet to lose any of the 12 games when Marouane Fellaini hasn't played this season. They've lost 8 of the 20 games he's played.
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 12, 2016
Ah, but Louis plays him in all the big games, against the tough opposition. Is that what you think?
A glance through United’s defeats this season would tell you differently.
Here are the eight sides who have beaten the Red Devils so far in the 2015/16 campaign:
Swansea
PSV
Arsenal
Wolfsburg
Middlesbrough
Bournemouth
Norwich
Stoke
Not exactly a minefield.
Is the common denominator big Fellaini? Well, they never lose when he doesn’t play.
