Football: Fully fit Martial hopes special connection with Fernandes will reignite United career
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Anthony Martial has had three separate injury setbacks this season and played only eight games. His record from 350 minutes of action is remarkable though, with four goals and two assists.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Erik ten Hag hopes to sign another striker in January to replace Cristiano Ronaldo but, in Anthony Martial, he has a high quality replacement already at Old Trafford when fit.
The Frenchman, 27, started in the 2-0 win over Burnley on Wednesday
Ronaldo’s exit,
Martial has had three separate injury setbacks this season and played only eight games. His record from 350 minutes of action is remarkable, though, with four goals and two assists.
Ten Hag clearly rates Martial and praised the forward during United’s recent warm weather training camp in Spain.
The Dutchman said: “In parts of his game, like pressing, he’s doing a really good job for the team and linking up play. For our team, he’s a really important player and we need that profile.
“We have seen, when he’s available, he has a massive impact on our game.”
The Red Devils, fifth in the table, have been linked with several strikers who impressed at the Qatar World Cup, in particular Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands and Portugal’s Goncalo Ramos.
Martial spent six months on loan at Sevilla last season and his future at United appeared uncertain. He may have impressed ten Hag on the pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia but knows time and opportunities are running out.
If he is to regain the form that saw him score 23 times during the 2019-20 season and being named United’s Player of the Year, he will need Bruno Fernandes to be pulling the strings in midfield.
Martial told United’s in-house media in a recent interview: “We always had that connection between us and we both just have to keep working to improve it.
“As he left to take part in the World Cup, I was telling him to make sure that he comes home in good shape. And he would say, of course, lots of assists are coming your way.
“It’s very important to have good connections on the pitch. You always want to know where your teammate is and where he’s going to run into space. For example, he (Fernandes) knows very well that I might go to take the ball at someone’s feet, and he will run deep.
“It’s that kind of little connection that helps you get to know the playing style of your partner. One, to evolve and, two, to help the team improve.”
Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford, 25, has signed a contract extension – worth a reported £250,000 a week (S$406,595) plus bonuses which makes him the highest-paid English player in the EPL – keeping him at the club until 2024.
He agreed a new deal alongside Diogo Dalot, 25, Fred, 29, and Luke Shaw, 27, with the four players’ current contracts up at the end of the season.
