Radamel Falcao needs stellar second half to seal permanent Manchester United move

New Delhi: Manchester United named an unchanged line-up for the first time in 85 games on Sunday against Tottenham Hotspur.

Louis van Gaal, convinced of Radamel Falcao's fitness, handed him yet another start. The Dutchman had previously omitted the Colombian due to issues regarding his fitness.

After recovering from a knee injury, Falcao has put in strong performances, but he still is not back to his best.

The striker has displayed his intense work ethic – hassling defenders and working hard when his team does not have the ball.

The 28-year-old has linked up well, created openings and assisted teammates during his brief stint at Old Trafford so far.

However, he hasn't delivered on one account – scoring bagful of goals'. Though, he has shown glimpses of his clinical finishing, the form he showcased at Atletico Madrid and AS Moncao continues to evade him.

Once again on Sunday, Falcao spurned quite of a few chances that one would expect him to put away with ease.

When Juan Mata set him up with a perfect pass, Falcao's first touch deserted him and Hugo Lloris made an easy collection of his weak shot.

He slipped very often, went down holding his face and lost possession on several occasions against Tottenham Hotspur.

If the striker and his agent Jorge Mendes wish to push for a permanent move through at the end of season, Falcao needs to be among the goals as soon as possible.

With Manchester United paying astronomical wages for the services of the Colombian, Louis van Gaal will soon be expecting big bang for his buck..

With both Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie scoring 8 goals each, Radamel Falcao, having scored just 2, will be feeling the pressure of not hitting the back of the net on more occasions.

With 19 league games to go, Falcao needs to have an impressive second half of the season to convince the Manchester United management to sign the big fat cheque.