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Marouane Fellaini claims Louis van Gaal is the strict manager Manchester United’s flops needed.

The Belgian international has been one of the most improved players at Old Trafford since Van Gaal’s appointment last summer.

And he claims the man nicknamed the Iron Tulip in Holland was exactly what was required after United’s disastrous season under David Moyes.

Fellaini - signed by Moyes for £28m from Everton - endured a miserable time in his first year at the club.

He became a symbol of Moyes’ failures as United suffered the ignominy of missing out on the Champions League.

Moyes was sacked last April, with Van Gaal brought in to lead United back to the summit of English football.

The former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has taken time to settle into English football - but back-to-back wins against Tottenham and Liverpool have put United on course for his minimum target of a top four finish.

Fellaini reckons his authoratative style is the secret to United’s success.

“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.”

Fellaini looked set to be offloaded this summer, but has established himself as Van Gaal’s preferred choice in the No10 role in recent weeks.

“He told me: ‘prove yourself and we’ll see,’” he said. “Now they are counting on me.

“There were never any real doubts.

“I was injured at the beginning of the season and then returned.

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“The coach gave me confidence and I proved myself in a few matches.

“It took a while, but now I can finally enjoy things.”