Fellaini proving his worth as a vital cog in United side

Marouane Fellaini is finally beginning to repay the £27.5 million that United paid for him from Everton in 2013, turning in another man of the match performance against Spurs on Sunday.

As David Moyes' marquee signing with huge expectations, last season he struggled as a scapegoated passenger in a woeful campaign under the previous manager, but he is now one of Louis van Gaal's most valuable assets.

 Last season Fellaini was probably getting ridiculed a lot of the time, people were saying that he is not a United player.
The way he has come back from that has been fantastic and the standing ovation he received at the weekend spoke volumes about how he has won over the hearts of the United fans. 

What he offers United is something different from the norm: he causes havoc with his height, strength, power and aerial ability, particularly from set pieces.
He provides an invaluable physical presence in a very physical league. 

For a giant of a man, his first touch is remarkably good, as he demonstrated on Sunday when he controlled a high Juan Mata pass on his thigh, rode three Spurs challenges and set up an attack for United.

The big Belgian has also proved his worth in front of goal this season: his clinical finish against Spurs was his fifth of the campaign.
His belting finish at West Brom just three minutes after coming on was his first for United and he has also come up with crucial strikes to break the deadlock at Loftus Road and the second goal at Deepdale to help United turn the tie around.

Against Tottenham, he won everything in the air and never gave the Spurs defence a moment's peace and was also influential as a substitute in United's late draw at West Ham last month.

Fellaini looked lazy, lost and out of his depth under Moyes tactical inflexibility and rigid system last season, but Louis van Gaal has allowed him the freedom to flourish and played to his strengths, and both he and the Reds are reaping the rewards. 

He is playing with confidence and belief, has been given a new lease of life under van Gaal's man management and looks like the man who was one of the best players in the league when he played under Moyes at Everton. 

There is no greater compliment I can pay to Fellaini that, in less than a season, he has gone from potentially our worst ever signing to a player of the season contender.