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James Cooper explains why Anthony Martial’s starting job at Manchester United is in jeopardy as he hasn’t scored a Premier League goal all season.
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After an impressive 2019/20, where the Frenchman scored 23 goals in all competitions, Martial is struggling to get fit at Old Trafford this season, again leaving fans divided on his value to the club.
Here in the Regional Review section of the latest Pitch to Post podcast, Sky Sports Northwest reporter Cooper talks about Martial, more mystery surrounding Donny van de Beek and whether United will get stronger in the upcoming January transfer window. …
Martial form ‘strange’
Martial has yet to score for United in the Premier League this season
It’s strange. He’s been at Manchester United for five years and I still don’t think the fans know who the real Anthony Martial is, and I think that extends to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as well.
Just when you think it all fits, last season he scored 22 goals, you think he has it, he looks like a Premier League finalist and regains his place in the French squad.
But based on the evidence this season so far, the most striking thing he’s done is the red card against the Spurs, which left them in a mess.
We are talking about a Manchester United that has an open-play goal in the Premier League.
It’s very, very difficult and frustrating, and I think Martial may have a hand selection problem if Edinson Cavani becomes fit enough to start at United. Once it is, I think it will occupy that position in the middle.
Edinson Cavani is fighting Martial for a starting spot
You go with Rashford on the left, and Greenwood, all good and Manchester United put him back in a kind of rhythm, he goes right. So where does that leave Martial? I think probably in the cold.
At the moment, he’s praying for goals and probably praying that Edinson Cavani stays out of the game.
Something is not quite right, and he is one of those players who really divides opinions. Some love him, others can’t understand why he plays for United. I think the latter have the strongest argument at the moment.
He clearly has a lot on his locker, he’s clearly a very talented player for Manchester United, but all that progress from last season doesn’t seem to have made any difference this season, which is really frustrating.
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Van de Beek’s money could have gone to Sancho or the defender
Donny van de Beek still has limited opportunities at United
You wonder why Manchester United spent that money. They made the deal really fast: but we asked, do they need Donny van de Beek if they have Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes on that side?
Where does he fit in? In this comes a word: trust. From the outside, it seems that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not trust Van de Beek to do what he wants him to do for Manchester United.
You might feel like you can’t fit into a system. If you are going to play with that security, it is boring, yes, but it gives you that security to get a result. If you’re going to play that system, you don’t see Van de Beek getting on the side about Fred, Matic, and Scott McTominay.
If you assume Bruno is the first pick on the team sheet, then you are seeing Van de Beek competing with Paul Pogba.
Manchester United have nine games in December, Van de Beek must have a chance during that time, otherwise this is a really strange transfer. Something is wrong.
Could Van de Beek’s money be spent insuring Jadon Sancho?
One wonders if Van de Beek’s money could have been thrown into a pot for a central defender. Or could that money be put in to get Sancho over the line?
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Quiet window in United
I think it will be a quiet window, which may not come as much of a surprise to United fans, although they may feel that the club should be crying out for a central defender.
I think you could suddenly see a different Harry Maguire if he is next to someone who runs and is a little more disciplined than Victor Lindelof, with an aerial presence.
I think what we’ll see is a lot of traffic at Old Trafford; people like Jones, Rojo, Romero, and it will be interesting to see if Dean Henderson gets the loan that would give him a platform to get into the Euros squad.
Amad Traore will hopefully walk through the door, and maybe he’s the right winger Manchester United are looking for, even if he’s 18.
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