"He is a terrific example of a professional to any young player," the United boss commented.
"I keep talking about Bobby Charlton's book, and his frustration when he was not in the team at 19 and had to be patient.
"Darren Fletcher epitomises that patience and now he's back in the squad and everyone recognises his abilities. It's a great credit to the lad.
"It was a big decision for me because Paul Scholes had put in a vintage performance at Fulham.
"If the game had come a day later I would have played Scholes but decided not to, given the length of time he has been out injured, and his age.
"Darren came in and did a job very effectively. He's not an easy player to come up against. I wouldn't like to play against him.
"He closes down people so quickly and keeps his eye on the ball and tackles without conceding fouls."