EPL: Ten Hag hints at key Man Utd role for Anthony Martial

Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, appears to have all but confirmed that Anthony Martial will be his first-choice striker going forward, as long as the Frenchman can stay fit.

Martial has missed the majority of United’s season thus far due to injury, but in his six appearances across all competitions, he has managed to contribute to six goals, including a goal against Aston Villa on Thursday night in his first start since August.

Since Edinson Cavani left in the summer, United lacks a true “number nine,” leaving Cristiano Ronaldo as the only viable option. Although Marcus Rashford can play centrally, he is more effective and at ease when he is positioned wide.

“He plays very well in a lot of aspects of football, I’m happy with that, except his availability. But we also have others and we have played with Marcus Rashford as the nine. We also have Cristiano Ronaldo, so we have more options there,” Ten Hag explained on Friday.

“It’s quite clear in my way of playing, I like the type that Anthony Martial is because he can hold the ball, he’s a target, he can link up, he can also run behind, he has speed, he can finish and he’s a good presser.

“I’m so happy he’s back now and that we can manage him and that he stays fit because he is an important part of the squad.”

When Martial first joined United as a teenager in 2015, he made a memorable impression right away, scoring a total of 17 goals in his first season. The once-promising Monaco player lost steam in the years that followed despite stiff competition from Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but he survived both and went on to score a career-high 23 goals in the 2019–20 season.

Since then, Martial has struggled with injuries and bad form, and it appeared as though his United career was about to end when he joined Sevilla on loan in the middle of last season. However, Ten Hag has now given Martial a new beginning.