Antony Martial continued his fine pre-season form on Tuesday after scoring and assisting in Manchester United ’s impressive 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace in Melbourne.
The Frenchman has been one of United’s star players so far in pre-season, netting in all three of the Reds’ friendly fixtures. And he has also brought more than just goals - with Bruno Fernandes hinting that the off-the-ball attributes he brings as part of a three-man press from the front help make life easier for United.
Speaking after the game, Fernandes said: “The three guys up front [Sancho, Rashford and Martial] are really aggressive in the press. When they press they make the last line squeeze, and makes the midfield come a little bit higher.”
Martial spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla and was being tipped to make a permanent switch away from Old Trafford this summer. However, with Cristiano Ronaldo absent from the club’s pre-season tour because of 'personal reasons,' Martial has been given the chance to lead the attack for Erik ten Hag’s side.
He’s so far grasped this opportunity with both hands, and there’s now a growing sense that the 26-year-old could be on the road to redemption at the club.
Ronaldo’s future remains in doubt, with the Portuguese star making no secret of his desire to leave the club this summer. Ten Hag remains hopeful that the club can persuade him to stay, yet even if he does, United don’t want to be as heavily reliant on the 37-year-old as they were last season.
The forward scored 23 goals across all competitions, comfortably the best return at the club. Yet more options in attack will be a priority for Ten Hag, and Martial’s pre-season form so far suggests he could certainly provide something different next season.
While he’s been clinical in front of goal, which is a huge bonus and something that will please Ten Hag, it’s his mobility that could add a greater level of appeal from a wider team perspective.
Ronaldo offers very little in terms of build-up play these days, and it’s also very hard for United to press coherently without the ball with Ronaldo leading the charge. Of the 127 Premier League forwards who played over 600 minutes last season, he ranked bottom in terms of making the fewest number of pressure per 90 (6.67).
Although it’s with the caveat of it still being pre-season, it’s been notable how much better United have looked when pressing aggressively higher up the pitch so far this summer.
It was something Fernandes touched on with his post-match press conference comments, and there is clearly food for thought for Ten Hag when Ronaldo does return given Martial's attributes and performances.
While Ronaldo could still play a huge role in United’s up-and-coming campaign, Martial’s mobility could bring another dimension to their attack through the middle. The early evidence also suggests that he can help get the best from other key United attackers like Sancho and Rashford too.
