Manchester United fans are in love with Mourinho’s Marouane Fellaini and his stats back it up

Conan Doherty

Go on, it’s okay. You’re not alone.

Imagine the scene: the full time whistle blows at Bournemouth; United are after putting them to the sword at their leisure; the Jose Mourinho era already looks promising and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is already scoring.

But Manchester United fans the world over are stuck on their seats, they’re deep in thought, they’re watching their television screens almost trying to be convinced otherwise of something. It’s like they know what they’ve just seen but they don’t know if they’ve actually just seen it.

They don’t want to see it.

But they have. But have they? Did Marouane Fellaini really play that well?

Brennan

They’ll be in a state of confused paralysis for the rest of the day, trying to come to terms with it, hoping someone else will mention it before they do.

Marouane Fellaini played well in a Manchester United shirt and it’s sending shockwaves through the entire Red Devil-loving underworld.

Trying to stop myself thinking that Fellaini actually deserves MOTM

— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) August 14, 2016

But the praise came to him eventually – reluctantly.

It came to him through a series of surprised fans.

He actually did well.

https://twitter.com/CollarUpCantona/status/764826421546156032

https://twitter.com/gardneraaronn/status/764830664294150146

https://twitter.com/chuzzyegwuatu/status/764834658907455488

You see, the key is Jose Mourinho.

Of course he was going to love a big, aggressive, nuisance of a f**ker like Marouane Fellaini. Of course he was going to love a man who loves nothing more than spoiling the opposition and even doing whatever he has to do to win, It’s a match made in heaven.

Firmino just attacked Fellaini's elbows with his face. Disgusting.#MUFC #LFC pic.twitter.com/N4SO5pGrPz

— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 17, 2016

Mourinho had another tall, strong, brick wall of a defensive midfielder at Chelsea.

So the Matic comparisons began.

Imagine Mou turning Fellaini into a midfield bhheast.. A Matic of sorts

— Obon (@Bhheast) August 15, 2016

Fellaini has become our Matic 👏🏼

— Nicki Juul (@NickiJuul) August 14, 2016

Fellaini is playing like Matic

— GreenMood (@zachzoranda) August 14, 2016

Mourinho addressed the Belgian’s unpopularity amongst the United faithful.

“With Fellaini I always have the feeling that he was not loved by the general Red people,” he told MUTV.

“But if he plays like he’s playing now, they have to love him because he’s being so important for us.”

So the Xavi comparisons began.

Marouane Fellaini also had a fantastic game today. Defensively solid, passing accurate. Jose has turned him into Xavi it seems!

— . (@BeastFosuMensah) August 14, 2016

In fairness, he misplaced just one of his 76 passes.

Marouane Fellaini misplaced just 1 of the 76 passes he attempted vs. Bournemouth – 98.7% completion rate. pic.twitter.com/wW5XSBYlwf

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 14, 2016

98.7% is a crazy return.

And it wasn’t just his passing.

Marouane Fellaini game by numbers vs. Bournemouth:

76 passes
5 tackles won
4 clearances
3 aerial duels won
3 blocks pic.twitter.com/9OLoYIiuMG

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 14, 2016

So he’s gone from this.