Early on in Manchester United's training session at the WACA on Thursday morning, Alejandro Garnacho played a one-two with Zidane Iqbal and was immediately cornered by Anthony Martial.
Martial stared imperiously at Garnacho, a Gallic glare the greatest French United striker would approve of. He soon gave Garnacho an avuncular pat on the head and the bib. It was his turn to play piggy in the middle.
Last month, Garnacho might have eyed Martial's role in the United squad. Not anymore. Garnacho has not had a kick across United's first three pre-season matches in what could be remembered as the tour of renewal for Martial.
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A wantaway who United were prepared to give away, Martial is now certain to stay beyond the September 1 transfer deadline. Erik ten Hag decided two weeks ago Martial was essential to his plans, his importance increased by Cristiano Ronaldo's indefinite absence.
There was not a market for Martial, a 26-year-old France international forward with a maximum of three years remaining on his contract and eight United goals in the last two years. He was loanable but not sellable. Now he might be untouchable.
Three games, three goals and three laudable finishes. The dink over Alisson was trademark Martial; reminiscent of the hat-trick goal he claimed against Sheffield United two years ago when he appeared to be developing into the modern No.9 United were yearning for.
Against Melbourne Victory, Martial opportunistically seized on the loose ball from Anthony Elanga's miscontrol. It was one of those "scruffy" strikes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer repeatedly demanded from Martial, a scorer of great goals but not a great goalscorer.
In the 3-1 defeat of Crystal Palace, he lurked on the shoulder of the last defender and anticipated the right-footed Diogo Dalot's left-footed inswinger. Martial cushioned the ball on his chest and lashed in with his weaker foot.
Beyond the goal, Martial dominated the virtuoso move for Marcus Rashford's tap-in in the second-half, killing the ball a la Dimitar Berbatov and running onto the return pass. He assisted Jadon Sancho's strike with a precise and prompt pass.
Martial had been foiled by Jack Butland before he struck in the 17th minute and rather than be galled he was galvanised. That pre-flight TikTok with Bruno Fernandes where they promised the return of United's No.9 is aging well.
At the WACA, Martial was the sharpest forward in the exercises and Ten Hag made a beeline for him. The United players' roles were designated by colour - blue for regulars, orange for reserves and yellow for youngsters. Martial was in blue.
He is one of seven players to have started all three of Ten Hag's matches and only injury would deny him a start against Brighton at Old Trafford two weeks on Sunday. That seemed implausible last month.
The turnaround is far from complete. These matches are largely meaningless and the opposition has not been stellar. Martial had the good fortune to play against a Liverpool defence whose full-backs had a combined squad number of 140 in Bangkok.
It was only six months ago that Ralf Rangnick claimed Martial rejected the opportunity to be included in the matchday squad against Aston Villa. Martial denied that, though Rangnick did not back down, either. Many matchgoers would have happily seen the back of Martial, his image damaged by a tactless agent.
He was empowered by Ed Woodward over the manager during the disunited tour of the United States four years ago. The United manager's role started to erode that summer and it has only been restored now. Remarkably, Martial bookends that fallow four-year period, for better or for worse.
However flaky Martial is, he has a steeliness about him. When the going got tough in the last months of Jose Mourinho's reign, Martial got going during an auspicious autumn. On his final appearance prior to leaving for Sevilla on loan in January, he was instrumental in Marcus Rashford's Fergie time clincher against West Ham.
Solskjaer was the manager in the only season Martial broke the 20-goal barrier. He started 2019-20 by requesting he reclaim the No.9 and he developed that enviable striker's knack of scoring without performing before his performance level mirrored his goalscoring output. Martial was one of United's strongest performers when the season restarted.
Edinson Cavani was signed to keep Martial on his toes and he trampled all over them. Whenever competition has arrived, Martial has crumbled. Ever since Ronaldo's return was delayed, Martial has hit his stride and is back in the side.
The expectation is Ronaldo, eventually, will be back, and Martial will have a greater challenge to stare down.
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