Man United entered the new season with Rasmus Hojlund – a 20-year-old striker – as the leader of the attack.
After what he has done with Atalanta and the Danish national team, Rasmus Hojlund deserves Erik ten Hag’s high expectations. And with the arrival of Hojlund, many will predict that Anthony Martial’s future is away from Old Trafford more than ever.
When Man United signed Martial in 2015, expectations were also high for the Frenchman. He was hailed as the new Thierry Henry, especially after his debut goal against Liverpool, with a dribble past Martin Skrtel and then a neat cut to score.
Sadly, despite some shining moments, the former Monaco star never really lived up to expectations. Martial has surpassed the 10-goal mark in the Premier League only three times since his first season, 2015-16.
Many coaches have come and gone, but Martial has stayed, and the inconsistency is still there. Usually played on the left wing or in the middle, the 27-year-old’s body language has frequently drawn criticism. The turbulent years under Jose Mourinho certainly didn’t help him. The special person wants to make the most of Martial’s abilities, but the striker’s attitude and intensity of work is questioned.
Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Martial has had his best season for the Red Devils. During the 2019-20 season, Martial scored 17 Premier League goals and provided six assists in 32 appearances. It looks like United have finally found a coach who can make the best out of Martial. But that didn’t last long as the injury recurred and he reverted to his old self. The following season, Martial only made 17 appearances and scored 4 goals. When he was on loan at Sevilla, he did not prove much either.
In Ten Hag’s first year, Martial scored six goals in 11 appearances under Erik ten Hag. However, injuries continued to prevent him from playing regularly. During last season, Martial suffered five different injuries that kept him out for 27 games. With the arrival of expensive rookie Hojlund, his minutes on the pitch will be even more limited.
However, the Danish star is only 20 years old and can hardly lead the Red Devils attack in every match – that is Martial’s chance. Injuries have kept Martial out of action during the pre-season tour, but he has even more momentum to show as the new season begins.
Martial has had some chances at Man United and time is definitely running out. Anyway, Ten Hag admires his natural talent. The Dutch strategist once declared: “Man United play the best football with Martial”. His ability to play with his back, keep the ball, build his play is very special and suits what the former Ajax coach asked for.
If Martial is really fit, he will be an important card in Ten Hag’s strategy. Not only that, but he can also help Hojlund stabilize and ease the burden of scoring for a 20-year-old player. Martial will look like a new Manchester United signing next season, but only if he is injury-free.
