Adnan Januzaj back in favour with Man Utd boss Louis van Gaal

Posted Monday, February 02, 2015 by Dailystar.co.uk

ADNAN JANUZAJ would be forgiven if he were the one person at Old Trafford to look back on David Moyes’ short reign with rose-tinted glasses.

This time last year, the Belgian wonderkid had already played 24 times for the first team under Louis van Gaal’s predecessor, rattling in three goals including a couple at Sunderland that heralded his Premier League arrival.

Fast forward 12 months and while United seem in far healthier shape – at least in terms of their Champions League aims – Januzaj looks to have taken a backward step.

A home outing against the struggling Foxes was just his 14th appearance of the campaign and his first start since November.

But while Van Gaal hands out compliments to individual players about as willingly as David de Gea gives up goals, Januzaj appears to be slowly winning over his boss.

Van Gaal said: “He has a lot of talent but you have to perform that talent in the matches. And also in the training sessions.

“I’m not making the line-up, the players themselves are making the line-up. You don’t believe that, I think!

“I look at players every day, I observe and I communicate with my players what I want. And the moment I think ‘OK, he is now ready to play’ then maybe I can let them play.”

Januzaj was used as a wide man in a three-man attacking midfield against Nigel Pearson’s visitors and performed solidly, particularly in the second half.

Adnan Januzaj back in favour with Man Utd boss Louis van Gaal
PER-FECT START: Januzaj (right) joins in the Robin van Persie goal celebrations with Wayne Rooney

For all the growing question marks United fans have thrown at Van Gaal, especially since the embarrassing FA Cup draw at Cambridge 10 days ago, the no-nonsense Dutchman has been consistent in one regard.

It doesn’t matter whether a player is a kid like Januzaj or a senior star like Radamel Falcao or Juan Mata, they will be judged solely on performances in games and – above all – under his watchful eye in training.

Januzaj said: “I’ve not been playing for so long, so it was good to get 90 minutes, even if I was really tired in the last 15 minutes and got cramp.”

After a tepid opening half hour, United pounced on a slip by Leicester’s full debutant Andrej Kramaric which allowed Daley Blind to slip in Robin van Persie, who was offside but finished impressively with the officials allowing the goal to stand.

Soon after, Falcao bundled in a poacher’s second before Wes Morgan headed a Wayne Rooney corner into his own net.

Marcin Wasilewski pulled back a consolation for the Foxes but there was to be no repeat of their dramatic 5-3 hammering of the Reds in September.

Boss Pearson now has to lift his side for a clash with Crystal Palace.

He said: “The games when you play sides in and around your own position are always going to be important but I think there is more emphasis on those games at this stage of the season.”

Adnan Januzaj back in favour with Man Utd boss Louis van Gaal
ROARING HOME: Radamel Falcao celebrates his goal

MAN UTD (4-1-3-2): De Gea 6; Valencia 5 (Mata 77), Jones 6, Rojo 7, Shaw 6; BLIND 8; Di Maria 7, Rooney 5, Januzaj 6; Falcao 7 (Wilson 80), Van Persie 7 (McNair 68, 6). Subs: Smalling, Herrera, Fellaini, Valdes.

UP NEXT: Cambridge (h), FA Cup, tomorrow.

LEICESTER (4-2-3-1): Schwarzer 6; SIMPSON 8, Wasilewski 7, Morgan 6, De Laet 5; Vardy 5 (Cambiaso 46, 6), King 6; Drinkwater 6, Schlupp 5 Ulloa 5 (Nugent 62, 6); Kramaric 5 (Albrighton 62, 7). Subs: Konchesky, Upson, Hammond, Hamer.

UP NEXT: Crystal Palace (h), Premier League, Saturday.

REFEREE: Martin Atkinson 5

STAR PLAYER: Daley Blind – Eye-catching in defensive midfield

STAR SHOCKER: Andrej Kramaric – Slip gifted United their opener