Van Gaal: Fellaini is "undroppable"
Louis van Gaal says Marouane Fellaini is undroppable on current form.
Many tipped Fellaini to be one of the first players to leave Old Trafford when Van Gaal took over as Manchester United manager last summer.
After missing United's tour of the United States, Fellaini was jeered on his only pre-season outing for the club, in a friendly against Valencia at Old Trafford.
Fellaini did not start a Barclays Premier League game until the end of October but he has played a big role in United's success recently.
The 27-year-old has proved to be the perfect foil for Wayne Rooney in the last four matches, operating just behind the United captain in the number 10 role.
He has scored four goals in his last four games for club and country and Van Gaal has been pleased with the Belgian's efforts since day one.
"From the first training session he did what I asked," Van Gaal said.
"He was open and he wants to perform, so I am not surprised.
"He had an unlucky season (last year) because he was injured a lot of times and ill a lot of times and because of that he didn't play so much but when he was fit he has always played for me, more or less.
"I was looking for balance in the team and he can give a lot of balance in the team.
"I can change him also. It is dependable of the qualities of the opponent, but when he plays like he is playing now I cannot change him."
With Robin van Persie still out due to an ankle injury and Radamel Falcao out of favour, Fellaini is expected to line up for United in Saturday's home game against Aston Villa.
If United beat Villa and Arsenal fail to beat Liverpool, the Red Devils will move up to second ahead of Manchester City, who play Crystal Palace on Monday.
Being so high in the table would have been unthinkable during the early stages of Van Gaal's reign, but he is good spirits as United head into the home straight.
"I have a good feeling that we can continue against Aston Villa," he said.
"I said when we had 13 points from 11 games and we were getting a lot of criticism that we would see at the end of the season.
"It is still a rat race. Also Tottenham and Liverpool are still in it.
"We have given them a blow but we have to play against the first three still. A lot can still happen."
Van Gaal is not even ruling out an 11th hour tilt at the title.
When asked if his team could overtake leaders Chelsea, who lead United by eight points, Van Gaal said: "Mathematically, we can still do it."
Tim Sherwood is ready to upset the odds as he plots Aston Villa's survival bid.
The boss takes Villa to Old Trafford on Saturday and reckons they can shock the favourites.
The boss' father and uncle were bookmakers and Sherwood spent time working in the family's office in London as a kid.
Villa are just three points above the Barclays Premier League relegation zone, while United have won their last four to sit fourth, but Sherwood believes his side would be worth backing.
He said: "My family were bookmakers, my uncle and dad. I did work experience in the office writing on the board, writing the odds up. That was when people used to have a proper bet, on Tottenham Court Road.
"It very much like the football season, the ups and downs. If you're a bookmaker you win one day and you lose the next and at the end of the season you have the same money in your pocket as what you started with.
"If the season finished tomorrow, we're safe aren't we. That would do.
"I think they are beatable, they have only lost two games at home all season, they have a terrific record at Old Trafford, but every team can beat anyone. It would be an upset, we believe we are capable of upsetting them."
The boss is without ineligible United loanee Tom Cleverley and has doubts over Kieran Richardson and Aly Cissokho but skipper Ron Vlaar is set to return from a calf injury for the first time since February.
Sherwood's Tottenham won 2-1 at Old Trafford last season and he is looking to repeat the trick as Villa try to climb away from the bottom three.
"I don't think there's anything to be scared of," he said.
"That's no disrespect to Man Utd, what I mean is that it's just a game of football which any team can win on any given day."
"I don't think anything has happened this season that he hasn't seen before.
"I still think it's an unbelievably tough place to go and play, it was hard. I took a Tottenham team that won last year, quite comfortably. Whether that can be emulated again I hope so."
Source: DSG
