The return of Darren Fletcher is a blessing for Manchester United

Fletcher made his much awaited return for Manchester United against Aston Villa

Manchester United recorded their first festive win in the Premier League with a reassuring 3-0 victory over Aston Villa and one of the highlights of the match was the return of Darren Fletcher.

The Scot had been sidelined for over a year with ulcerative colitis but has since made a full recovery. Fletcher’s return could not have come at a better time as United desperately needed somebody to fill in for the injured Michael Carrick and Fletcher fits the bill perfectly.

The 29-year-old has been consistent for Manchester United and was always used by former manager Sir Alex Ferguson in the important games. Fletcher has always been a good servant to Manchester United, who he has been with since the age of 11, and continued to give his best to the club in spite of being benched plenty of times due to the wealth of options United once had in the midfield in the form of Anderson, Nani, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.

The Scotland international is extremely versatile and can operate on the wings or in the defense which is a big bonus for the Red Devils. The highlight on Fletcher’s career came in the 2009-2010 season where he scored important goals in the games against Manchester City, Everton and AC Milan and even managed to get himself a place on the PFA Team of the Year.

Darren is an excellent holding midfielder whose skills rival those of Michael Carrick in some ways. It is unfortunate that injuries have hampered his career as he could have become one of the best in his position if given the chance. The midfielder controls the game very well and would have been an asset in the 2008-2009 Champions League final against Barcelona but was kept out due to a red card he received in the semi-final match against Arsenal.

Jose Mourinho, who then managed Inter Milan, remarked: “Fletcher is more important than people think. His work in midfield, especially in the midfield ‘wars’, in crucial matches is very important. Man United will miss his pace and aggression in defensive actions: he ‘eats’ opponents in defensive transition. I believe Xavi and Andres Iniesta are happy Fletch is not playing.”

Manchester United face a tricky game against West Ham United who are one of the most physical teams in the Premier League, which is perfect for Fletcher as he thrives in such an environment. The Scot may not be used heavily in the match against the Hammers due to him not having enough match fitness but when given the chance he will surely give the opposition a tough time.

Fletcher made his presence on the field felt yesterday against Aston Villa. The midfield managed to get his foot to the ball but lacked pace which is understandable due to him not playing for a long time at the highest level. Fletcher needs more time before he is back to his best and when he is he will be a valuable player in the midfield department.

Manchester United fans can expect to see more of him over the festive period. David Moyes has a player he can count on in the form of Darren Fletcher.