▁behind ▁another ▁mid f iel der ▁being ▁used ▁as ▁an ▁attack er , ▁Tim ▁C ah ill . ▁Later ▁F ella ini ▁revert ed ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁his ▁least ▁favour ite ▁def ensive ▁mid field ▁area . ▁His ▁performances ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁became ▁so ▁impress ive ▁that ▁David ▁Mo yes ▁label led ▁him ▁" as ▁good ▁as ▁anyone ▁in ▁the ▁league ", ▁and ▁he ▁re - iter ated ▁this ▁after ▁F ella ini ▁won ▁Man ▁of ▁the ▁Match ▁against ▁Manchester ▁City ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁January . ▁F ella ini ▁was ▁st ret cher ed ▁off ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁minute ▁of ▁the ▁Mer se ys ide ▁der by ▁on ▁ 6 ▁February ▁after ▁a ▁two - fo oted ▁tack le ▁by ▁S ot iri os ▁K yr gia k os , ▁r uling ▁him ▁out ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 – 1 0 ▁season . ▁S ot iri os ▁K yr gia k os ▁was ▁then ▁sent ▁off ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁F ella ini ' s ▁injury . ▁ ▁F ella ini ▁suffered ▁an ▁an k le ▁injury ▁in ▁an ▁FA ▁Cup ▁re play ▁victory ▁against ▁Ch else a ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁and ▁although ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁a ▁ 2 – 0 ▁win ▁against ▁S under land ▁a ▁week ▁later , ▁the ▁injury ▁caused ▁him ▁to ▁miss ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0