Marouane Fellaini could be deployed as a striker this season starting with the second leg Champions League qualifying tie against Club Brugge tomorrow.
Already leading the tie 3-1 after the first leg at Old Trafford thanks to two goals by Memphis Depay and late header by Fellaini, United boss Louis van Gaal declared that the mission was not yet complete.
He said: “It was our aim to participate in the Champions League. We are still not there yet, it’s very important.
“We have to play the game, at the end you have to have scored more than one goal than the opponent.
“They have beaten Greek opponents 3-0 [Panathinaikos], they are capable of doing that with the support of their fans.”
With Manchester United looking short of attacking options following the departure of Radamel Falcao and Robin Van Persie, and Wayne Rooney’s goal drought stretching to ten games without a goal for United (he last scored on April 4 against Aston Villa), Van Gaal revealed the surprising option in the week that the Reds apparently lost out on Barcelona forward Pedro who signed for Chelsea instead.
With only Javier Hernandez and youngster James Wilson providing genuine backup for the misfiring England captain, van Gaal opted to reveal the reasons why Fellaini could provide a physical option up front for United:
He said: “He can play as a number 9 and a number 10, and he can also play as a number 6 and number 8.
“This year he will play more as a number 9 and number 10 rather than 6 and 8 because there we have other players.”
The big Belgian agreed with his manager’s assessment and insisted he could do a job for United up front.
He said: “In the past I have played at 9 and 10. I have to help the team.
“I can play there. It’s not important where I play – I enjoy all the positions I can play in – the most important thing is to win the game.”
United captain Wayne Rooney could be played a little deeper in the number 10 role if he had a strike partner up front with the pace of Hernandez or Wilson or the physical presence of Fellaini offering the England man a more conventional partnership this season whereas he had looked a little isolated as a lone striker during the first four games this season.