Anthony Martial has sensationally revealed that he was forced to play whilst injured under Ole Gunnar Solskjær as he hit out at his treatment under two former Manchester United manager's.
Martial joined the Premier League giants on deadline day in summer 2015 and has had a mixed time during his seven year spell at Old Trafford. When on form the 26-year-old can be unplayable, picking up the 2019-20 Players' Player of the Year award, but he has been plagued by several injuries in recent times and last season was shipped out on loan to Sevilla for the second part of the campaign.
Now in an interview with France Football, Martial has told his side of the story, explaining that the former United manager refused to defend his performances when he played with an injury. He said: "The last two seasons, I have regularly played injured. People don't know that, I couldn't accelerate during the four months following the Covid season. Solskjær tells me that he needs me, so I play.
"Given my game, if I can't accelerate, it becomes very complicated and I get criticised. The coach never bothered to tell the media. Obviously, I end up getting injured for good and when I come back, finished, I don't play anymore. I took it very badly.
"I had a feeling of injustice. You are asked to sacrifice yourself for the team and behind you are dismissed. For me, it's almost treachery. That's all I hate. I can be blamed, but not for being fake."
Martial also believes former United boss Jose Mourinho "lacked respect" for him during his tenure after he changed his shirt number against his will after the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic despite an impressive debut season. He also reckons Mourinho showed a lack of co-operation which ultimately cost the Frenchman a place in France's 2018 World Cup squad.
"It started with the story of the shirt number", he said. During the holidays, he sent me a message to ask if I want to change to the No.11, explaining to me that it is great because it was worn by Ryan Giggs, a club legend.
"I tell him that I have the greatest respect for Giggs but I prefer to keep the No.9. When I returned to the club, I see my name with the No.11, the story did not end well. He lacked direct respect for me.
"He was talking about me in the press. He likes these games, but he also knows who he is doing it with. He knows that I am 20 years old then and that if I say something, it is I who will be the young person who lacks respect.
"The second season, I was the team's top scorer in the first part of the season, he brought in Alexis Sánchez and I hardly played anymore. It cost me dearly. I should have been there [2018 World Cup]."
