HE’S OUR HAIRO!
Mourinho salutes Fellaini after Belgian’s double helps to sink rock-bottom Palace
MAYBE Marouane Fellaini deserves his own emoji. In the continued absence of £ 89million player-product Paul Pogba, the less celebrated Belgian netted his first double for Manchester United and allowed Jose Mourinho’s title charge to continue without a backwards glance towards his record signing.
There will be far harder tests than Crystal Palace, whose challenge at Old Trafford lasted less than three minutes to suggest Roy Hodgson’s £1million survival bonus may go unclaimed.
Even so, it was impressive in the way that Fellaini made the midfield his own, even overshadowing partner Nemanja Matic. He was his normal reliable self clearing Palace set-pieces in his own area and just as dangerous at the other end, twice converting from close range.
With Palace briefly threatening an equaliser, Fellaini rifled in from an Ashley Young cross to make it 2-0 shortly before half-time. His second goal, and the team’s third, was a deft header in front of marker Damien Delaney from Marcus Rashford’s free-kick.
Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku, with his seventh i n seven for United, also got on the scoresheet at the start and end of a one-sided game. ‘All managers are different. Sometimes we like players that others don’t like,’ said Mourinho, trying to explain Fellaini’s rejuvenation since he replaced Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford.
‘I think Marouane has important qualities and I try to use them. He has played for me as a defensive midfelder, a second striker and today a regular midfield player. He is a great character and we have a good relation.
‘I think only a strong character could come through all the difficult times he’s had here. He had to be a stong character.
‘He is a fighter. He has a lot of pride. I am really pleased that I’ve helped him to reach this level and to change the perception.’ With Pogba’s return date from a hamstring injury not known, Fellaini will be important to United as they seek to build on an excellent start of 19 points from 21.
Palace arrived at Old Trafford in a mess. Three centre- halves — James Tomkins, Timothy FosuMensah and Scott Dann — were unavailable, leading to a recall for 36- year- old Delaney. Up front, winger Bakary Sako was deployed as a No9 with Christian Benteke and Connor Wickham injured. ‘We were playing a team that is possibly out of our league,’ said Hodg- son after seeing his team slump to a seventh consecutive defeat without a goal. ‘I fear we have to accept we’re like a boxer fighting in a weight class that we can’t handle.’
If Hodgson’s plan was to keep things tight early on, it failed spectacularly. After three minutes, Rashford feinted to go past Joel Ward in one direction then twisted to fly past him in the other.
When the England youngster got to the byline, his measured cutback evaded three Palace shirts before Mata nipped in front of Mamadou Sakho and fired in from 12 yards. It was the Spaniard’s first goal of the season on his 200th Premier League appearance.
Soon Sakho headed over from Yohan Cabaye’s free-kick and Sako tested De Gea from 20 yards.
Andros Townsend appeared under clear instructions to test Young but when the boot was on the other foot, United went 2-0 ahead.
Young advanced into the final third and when Townsend didn’t stick close enough to him, he swung in a fabulous arced delivery to the far post where Fellaini arrived like a steam train to finish from a few yards with his right foot.
Chris Smalling and Rashford
went close to adding a third before half-time but it duly arrived anynyway after 49 minutes. Rashford put plenty of purchase on his free- kick and Fellaini got in front of Delaney to apply the finishing touch with his head.
Hodgson, down to the bare bones, made his point by giving 24-year-old Freddie Ladapo his Palace debut having been signed d from non-league Margate and sent ent on loan to Oldham and Shrewsbury ury last season. ‘He’s never had a sniff of the Premier League before,’ said the former England manager. A fourth goal was harsh on the visi- tors but it is almost written in the rule rules that Lukaku must score. The lates latest in his collection was a tap-in aft after substitute Anthony Martial h had done all the hard work down t the left. Stil l , t he Belgian can be p proud of starting with seven g goals in seven league games, on only Andy Cole before him has ma managed that. If Palace draw another blank in thei their next game against Chelsea, they will equal Halifax’s unwanted record from all four divisions of failing to score in their opening eight league fixtures.