Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini insists that he will not change his style of play, despite heavy criticism of it from all quarters in recent weeks.
The Belgian’s style has come under intense scrutiny lately, after being accused of deliberately elbowing Emre Can, Roberto Firmino and Dejan Lovren in both legs of United’s Europa League round of 16 tie against Liverpool.
This led to former Premier League referee Howard Webb calling Fellaini a ‘thug’ after the second leg at Old Trafford and the 28-year-old fears that there will be a ‘fixation’ on his actions, with opponents seeking to wind him up or get away with fouls of their own on him.
In an in-depth interview with The Telegraph, Fellaini said:
The last few games, they talk about elbows but I don’t do it [on] purpose. I look at the ball, not my opponent. I don’t want to elbow someone, there is no point. I just protect myself. Sometimes I have two or three players around me, grabbing me.
I jumped against Liverpool with Firmino and he said I give him an elbow. Why would I give an elbow to him? I know I will win the ball because of my size. Against Andy Carroll, it would be more difficult, but I don’t need to elbow Firmino.
There seems to be a fixation on me now. Why should I change my game if I don’t even get a yellow card? I go home and I say to my brother or someone ‘why didn’t he book me then?’ Because they know and people don’t talk about players grabbing me or trying to stop me. Why?
I get lots of fouls on me, but it is no foul because I am physical. Because I don’t go down, that is the problem as well. But I will keep playing my game. Why would I change? It’s my game.
Fellaini is also unsure if the fact that he was brought in by David Moyes from Everton is held against him by United fans, or why he is often made the scapegoat by United fans after bad performances from the Reds:
My family care more than me. I am a professional, so I have to deal with it. I try not to listen. Sometimes it is difficult, but that is football and playing for a big club. Sometimes I don’t understand it. Why me? I don’t know.
Sometimes, I say yes it is because I joined with David Moyes, sometimes I say no. The truth is I don’t know. I know one thing, a lot of people know I work hard on the pitch and for me that’s the most important thing.
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