Football
ESPN staff 7y

Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini: I give everything for Jose Mourinho

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini has said he was ready to "give everything" for manager Jose Mourinho as soon as he spoke to him in the summer.

Mourinho succeeded Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford, and Belgium international Fellaini told The Daily Telegraph the former Chelsea boss had called him to say he was part of his plans.

United are unbeaten in 15 Premier League games and face Watford -- who beat them at Vicarage Road earlier in the season -- at home on Saturday.

Fellaini said he had no doubts that United would bounce back from early-season uncertainty and recalled: "Jose called me and texted me on my holiday to give me confidence and say he trusts me.

"When a manager calls you and says you are part of his plans and that he trusts you, then you will give everything for him.

"Jose is a manager for whom to win is the most important thing. Sometimes we don't play well, but we win the game and he knows how to motivate the players.

"All the players are behind him, that's the most important thing.

"If you want to win things all the staff have to be together, a family. We try to do that and with time it will be more intense than now. It's not been one year yet. It's shown that we are strong."

Fellaini signed a one-year contract extension at United last month and said he was targeting Champions League football this season and the Premier League title next.

"A club like Manchester United, we have to play Champions League so the minimum is to be top four," he added.

"At the beginning of the season, we wanted to be champions. That's normal at this club. But we lost points, we drew a lot.

"It's going to be difficult to be champions this season. But next season, we will do everything to be champions again. To fight again to be the biggest team. Four years is too long."

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