Mourinho rediscovers Midas touch as Klopp suffers a blip

The Marouane Fellaini header which gave Manchester United a 2-0 victory over Hull in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on Tuesday is unlikely to feature in any end of season highlights reel, even if the looping effort was well executed and has helped his club move closer to a Wembley appearance and the prospect of Jose Mourinho bringing his first meaningful piece of silverware to Old Trafford.

Of more note, perhaps, was the celebration which followed, the Belgian international racing straight to his beaming manager on the touchline for a full-on embrace which spoke of shared joy, mutual affection and, you’d have to imagine, not a little relief.

Just five weeks ago, Fellaini was being mocked by his own supporters when introduced as a late sub against Spurs, one week after he’d also been sprung from the bench only to promptly give away a clanger of a penalty at Goodison Park which allowed Everton to snatch a point.