Erik ten Hag has highlighted an area of concern for Manchester United across the duration of the season.
Anthony Martial made his return to Old Trafford last night after another lengthy spell on the sidelines – his third since August. The forward has been prolific when on the pitch for United but is struggling considerably with maintaining fitness.
Martial also added to his goal tally on Thursday evening when he netted an equaliser just 16 seconds after Aston Villa’s opener. He has now netted four goals and two assists in just 220 minutes of game time.
The Reds have one final fixture before the World Cup and the Frenchman will be able to enjoy a rest over the prolonged international break. He was not included in the France squad to travel to Qatar, which is largely due to fact Didier Deschamps has not seen enough of him to deem him worth the risk.
Ten Hag’s concerns about Martial’s availability
In a pre-match press conference (via the ManUtd.com) ahead of the Fulham clash, Ten Hag was asked about Martial.
A reporter questioned: “Martial is probably the best finisher you have. Is he key to you having a winning season – him staying fit?”
Ten Hag replied: “Yes, definitely.
“In the front line, availability from the players is a concern. We had so many games like Newcastle United: Marcus Rashford, ill. We had to play some other games, we really had to improvise to construct a proper offensive line. So, if we can’t do that, then it is really difficult to get into the top four.”
When asked if there was an “underlying issue” with Martial being able to stay fit, he responded: “We analyse it as well, he is analysing that as well. What can we do to change that? When you are injured that often, there is a reason – we have to find out. But sometimes also it is just bad luck.
“He was really in a good way, and then the last 10 minutes against Atletico Madrid he got an injury and that threw him back. I’m happy he is now back and I hope he will be able to manage it and that he stays fit because he is an important part of the squad.”
Regarding Martial being United’s main No.9 striker, he said: “Definitely, he plays very well in a lot of aspects of football, I’m happy with that, except his availability [after injury].
“But I think we also have others. When we played with Marcus Rashford as a no.9 we also had a good part of the game. So we have more options, we have Cristiano Ronaldo.
“But, quite clear, in my way of playing I like the type [of player] Antony Martial is because he can hold the ball, so he is a target, he can link up, but he can also run behind, he has speed, he can finish, and he has good pressure [presses well].”
