Manchester United boss David Moyes has backed Marouane Fellaini to solve his side’s midfield scoring woes after the Premier League went goal-crazy at the weekend.
Fellaini is yet to get off the mark for the Red Devils, who have managed just a paltry nine goals from midfield in the league this season.
The depressing situation at Old Trafford comes after a weekend where the rest of the league filled their boots with 40 goals from all areas of the pitch in the other nine fixtures.
From United’s midfield Adnan Januzaj leads the way with three strikes, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young follow on two before Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley have one each to round out the total.
And ahead of tonight’s Manchester derby, critics believe Manchester City’s rampant midfielders – led by Yaya Toure, who has 16 – will have too much for the reigning champions.
“I take that point,” Moyes said on United’s website.
“They have got goalscoring midfield players and it’s something which is important – to have goalscorers all over the field who can contribute lots of goals.
“We’ve got good midfield players. I still think Fellaini can get some goals. He was unlucky at West Ham when he could have scored a header and maybe you could argue he deserved a penalty kick when he went through at the end.
“He’s beginning to show signs he can get some goals for us as well but I do agree City have very good midfield players who are goalscorers.”
City have bagged THREE times as many goals as the Old Trafford outfit with 29 of their 76-strong haul coming from the centre of the park.
Behind Toure, Samir Nasri, Fernandinho and Spaniards Jesus Navas and David Silva all have four in the Premier League, while James Milner has also notched up a solitary goal.
This record can be seen as more reminiscent of the great United sides of the past, who built their success on the late runs and powerful striking of Paul Scholes and Sir Bobby Charlton, the wing wizardry of George Best and Ryan Giggs and the incomparable free-kicks of David Beckham.
Fellow rivals Liverpool, who are the leading scorers in the division with a staggering 82 strikes, have seen 23 come from midfield.
Behind the new ‘SAS’ partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, captain Steven Gerrard has added ten, while Raheem Sterling (six), Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho (three) and Moses (one) have all been target.
League leaders Chelsea have also produced a flurry of goals from the midfield with brilliant Belgian Eden Hazard top scoring with 14, leading them on their way to 32 of the team’s 62 goals.
The comparison fares no better on the continent as United’s European foes Bayern Munich have fired in 46 goals from midfield in their all-conquering Bundesliga campaign.
The German champions-elect have been boosted with Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben both reaching double figures with 12 and ten respectively to contribute to the Bavarians’ total of 76 league goals.
Last year’s European Player of the Year Franck Ribery has weighed in with eight while Mario Gotze (six) as well as Old Trafford target Toni Kroos (one) will ensure a tough time for Moyes’ boys in next month’s Champions League quarter-final clash.
Image courtesy of DHL, via Youtube, with thanks
