2. Moyes’ signings starting to show their worth
For the large part, David Moyes’ reign as Manchester United manager isn’t one that fills United fans with fond memories. But for all for the Scot’s faults, he did sign Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini. While the duo struggled to flourish under his tutelage, they have come of age under Van Gaal. Whether it is the tactics or the simple fact that the manager trusts them, the duo have transformed their individual form, as well as the form of the club.
In Fellaini’s case, he has gone from being an outcast that was being used as a stick used to beat Moyes’ tactics with, into being a important weapon in Van Gaal’s arsenal. The Belgian has shown that he is much more than just an aerial presence and his combative spirit and toughness have shone through this season. With Mata, things have been slightly different. While he was still good under David Moyes, he struggled to make his impact felt. But this season, even though he hasn’t played every game, he has been much more involved and important to United’s attack and his two goals at Anfield are a testament to that.