Moyes expects Fellaini to face United

Lyndon Lloyd , 8 February, 18comments | Jump to most recent

Belgian sustained 'bad bruising' against Villa

David Moyes does not anticipate the heavy bruising that Marouane Fellaini sustained to his hip in last weekend's draw with Aston Villa to keep him out of Sunday's clash with Manchester United.

The Belgian was an un-used substitute for his country in midweek after sitting out training on Monday but is expected to start for the Blues at Old Trafford. Seamus Coleman, however, remains sidelined with a thigh strain.

Moyes acknowledged the importance of having his top-scorer in the side for what Sir Alex Ferguson now regards as a "big game" for the deposed Champions after last season's thrilling 4-4 draw and then Everton's 1-0 win at Goodison Park on the opening day of 2012-13.

"[Marouane] is coming back into a little bit of form," Moyes told reporters at this pre-match press conference.

"He scored a couple of goals for us last week and he is the sort of player who seems to enjoy the bigger games.

"He has got really bad bruising, but I think he will be okay," Moyes said.

The manager also insisted that, just as they did last season, his side will be going into the game against United with the intention of winning.

"You have to try to have a go at Manchester United," he said. "I don't think you can sit back and allow them to dictate the game.

“At times they will be in possession and will get control of the match, and at those times you have to try and see it out. But whenever we can, we will try to make it as awkward as we can for them.”

Quotes or other material sourced from Sporting Life

Reader Comments (18)

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Peter Thistle
1 Posted 08/02/2013 at 19:26:04

We could use Felli and Jelavic playing as well as they did at Old Trafford last season. Both were class.

Mike Gaynes
2 Posted 08/02/2013 at 20:12:13

Good news, definitely.

And I know it's a lot to hope for after their long layoffs and sluggish returns, but if Gibbo and Kev are a couple steps closer to game fitness, I really think we can take these guys.

That is, of course, if a certain Dutchman isn't on the field trying to cover a certain other Dutchman who would rip him to shreds.

Andy Meighan
3 Posted 08/02/2013 at 20:38:54

Not a prayer Moyes will try and play Heitinga out of his recent nightmares... any other game, maybe. But not against the runaway leaders and, IMO, at the moment, the world's best striker. It'll be the old brigade of Jags and Big Sylvain I'll be shocked if its anything else.

Peter Jones
4 Posted 08/02/2013 at 21:01:29

Please Moyes. Distin on Rooney. Jags on RVP. I believe in you. You can do it.

Max Murphy
5 Posted 08/02/2013 at 20:52:11

I admire the optimism shown by our supporters ahead of our visit to Old Trafford, but I think we all need a reality check. The best we can hope for is a 2- or 3-goal margin of defeat.

Moyes's away record against Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal & Liverpool is well documented: in short, we have never won away in the Premier League against these teams in over 10 years.

People will say, "Look where we are in the league...". Unfortunately, we win no prizes for being 5th after 25 games – and sadly after Sunday we will be 6th, and in a couple of weeks, 7th behind Liverpool.

Others will state we have only lost 3 games. Again no prizes – and I would have preferred losing 6 of our 12 drawn games, and winning the other 6, leaving us a healthy 3rd in the table, 2 points ahead of Chelsea.

Moyes is to be applauded for keeping us in the Premier League on such limited resources, but sadly, he cannot take the next step to success. I concede several of those drawn games were down to abysmal officiating, and cost us several points. The rest were down to awful individual performances and a manager that has totally lost his way with regards to team selection and utilisation of his bench. Whether it is the coaching or backroom staff around him causing the problem I'm not sure.

The Heitinga selection last week was the final straw. Sadly, Heitinga will be on the bench on Sunday, and I guarantee Moyes will start with the hopeless Jelavic, after he scored midweek, and had a good game against Man Utd last season – great managerial selection logic!

I believe at the end of the season, Moyes should leave Everton following yet another trophy-less campaign. He will be remembered as a survivor, but never a winner.

Phil Sammon
6 Posted 09/02/2013 at 00:22:33

Total rubbish there Max. Lost a few brain cells reading that pile of guff.

Dave White
7 Posted 09/02/2013 at 01:43:14

Ha ha Phil! A bit of comic relief after cloud cuckoo land.....

I'll be hoping for the best I can hope for!

Adam Weight
8 Posted 09/02/2013 at 02:21:36

No offence, Max, but that's a load of shite. We are still in with a realistic shout at 4th place and an even better chance of 5th come the end of the season. And this with very little in the way of spending, certainly compared to the likes of "Brendan's Boys" across the way. The Blues are aright in my book.
COYB!!

Ernie Baywood
9 Posted 09/02/2013 at 02:24:24

Cherry picking teams that we have struggled away against to prove a point? Why wouldn't Spurs and City be in that list?

Obviously it will be a tough game but I'm not sure what people have seen this year to suggest we'll go there and lie down.

Pat Finegan
10 Posted 09/02/2013 at 03:11:03

Absolute rubbish to say that we don't have a real chance of winning or even drawing a game. How many times since City got investment have we lost to them? And we're in 5th place. We've had some bad games but overall its been a great season of attacking football. It's not been perfect but there's no point being that miserable.

Martin Mason
11 Posted 09/02/2013 at 03:49:34

Odds are that we'll be beaten but we live in hope

Peter Barry
12 Posted 09/02/2013 at 04:54:41

Well said, Max Murphy, I could not have put it better myself. The 'big game bottling' Dour Davey will be in full 'safety first' mode for this game, as we all know deep in our hearts he will – and especially so if we get a 'lucky' first goal.

Max Murphy
13 Posted 09/02/2013 at 13:17:28

Phil, did you have any brain cells to start with? Speak to me in 3 weeks and discuss how many of my predictions have come true.
Adam, "realistic chance of 4th place" - don't make me laugh. Have you been watching Everton recently? Southampton, Swansea, West Brom and that convincing win over Bolton?
Pat, face reality - we will be hammered on Sunday.

Jamie Barlow
14 Posted 09/02/2013 at 14:11:44

Max Murphy spouting his usual bollocks again.

John Ford
15 Posted 09/02/2013 at 14:27:37

Max, there isn't a manager in the league or anywhere else for that matter who will have us In the top four on a regular basis. What you're complaining about is actually the state of English football which polarises success based on money.

We may well win a cup at some point but don't kid yourself that not going to the next level and challenging the money clubs season on season is anything to do with Moyes. Noones ever done it without paying their way. Why would we be any different. Having saidthat If we can retain a challenge for fourth this year we will have done really well, and I'd love the same next season. At least we're trying to break the mould.

We're a good team and we've seen on TW this week that we have a better record than most against t he top clubs. COYB.

Andy Walker
16 Posted 09/02/2013 at 15:07:15

Lets hope the players, manager and supporters don't have the same defeatist attitude as Max Murphy. No one ever won anything when they expected to loose.
We need a team with a winning mentality, not losers.

Joe McMahon
17 Posted 10/02/2013 at 08:37:25

Max, 4th is looking out of our reach, but please we have to at least hope, and hopefully play to win. I'm hoping Moyes looks at Southampton and has a go. We have to believe.

Adam Weight
19 Posted 10/02/2013 at 14:22:22

Max, we are still in with a shout of fourth, regardless of recent poor performances, look at the table... we are up in a great position AND been playing pretty poorly. We can only get better, and therefore start to pick up more points.

I agree that Man Utd are favourites today, but by no means are we a dead cert to get twatted. I would say a point is well on the cards, a win would be amazing, but the poor run at OT has to change eventually, law of averages if nothing else.

Anyways we're all entitled to our opinions, optimistic or otherwise. COYB!

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