Marouane Fellaini: Louis van Gaal has given me the confidence to be a Man United star

Fellaini carried his good club form into the international break when he scored three times for Belgium in their wins over Cyprus and Israel that put them top of their European Championship qualifying group.

Prior to the break Fellaini, playing in an attacking midfield position behind Wayne Rooney, had been one of United's star performers in the wins over Tottenham and Liverpool that boosted the club's hopes of a top-four finish.

He has started six of United's last seven games, scoring twice, and Louis van Gaal will keep him in his starting XI against Aston Villa on Saturday despite the return to fitness of Van Persie and Falcao's goal for Colombia during the international break.

It represents a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the much-maligned Fellaini, who was expected to be sold last summer after struggling through a dismal debut season at Old Trafford following his £27.5m move from Everton and was even booed and jeered by some United fans in a pre-season friendly.

Van Persie has been out since injuring an ankle in the defeat at Swansea on February 21 while Falcao has started only one of United's last six games. Neither of them have been missed with Van Gaal admitting he has finally found the right "balance" in his team after numerous selection and formation changes, with Fellaini, Juan Mata and Ashley Young supporting Rooney while Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera have been in the midfield engine room.

Van Gaal believes Fellaini's physical presence and aerial ability provides United with an additional way of breaking down defences, although he believes the 6ft 4ins player has more to offer than just his strengths as a targetman.

"He has qualities that mean he can contribute a lot," said Van Gaal. "That is why he is playing. He also allows me to give balance to the team and that is important for a manager who is looking for balance. He has to play higher and higher up the field and Michael Carrick has to play deeper.

"He gives a solution for beating the pressing tactics of our opponents. He can make more contributions than that but it is one of his contributions."

Fellaini says he is enjoying his club football again after a confidence-sapping first 18 months with United and credits Van Gaal for giving him the belief to resurrect his career, despite the doubts over his future when the Dutchman took over last summer with Napoli showing interest in giving him a fresh challenge in Serie A.

"Van Gaal told me, 'Prove yourself and we'll see'. Now they are counting on me," said Fellaini. "There were never any real doubts. I was injured at the beginning of the season and then returned. The coach gave me confidence and I proved myself in a few matches.

"After that, I was injured and I got sick again. For three weeks I was on antibiotics. It took a while, but now I can finally enjoy things."

He believes Van Gaal's demanding managerial methods are just what United needed to put them back on course for a return to the Champions League.

"The coach is very strict, but that's good," he said. "We needed such a coach. Last season we had a bad season. We even missed European qualification. We needed a coach who would put some players' feet back on the ground.

"If he says something, you should do it. Otherwise you'll fly out of it [the team]. If he has to take you off the pitch when the game hasn't been going on for more than 30 minutes he'll do it. Or during half-time. Fortunately, it hasn't happened to me yet."

Van Gaal could be forced into one change for the Villa game if Chris Smalling fails to recover in time after feeling unwell and being substituted in England's draw in Italy.

Smalling's solid centre-back partnership with Phil Jones was a key feature of the wins over Tottenham and Liverpool, but fit-again Marcos Rojo is ready to step in after playing 90 minutes for Argentina against Ecuador on Tuesday.