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In the summer of 2015, Manchester United with Louis van Gaal at the helm, signed Anthony Martial from AS Monaco for a hefty fee of £36 million. A mighty number for a teenager but little did the fans anticipate that the Frenchman will score a sensational goal against Liverpool in his first-ever appearance for Manchester United. Martial got off to the perfect start as he came off the bench and scored a beautiful goal that has a special place in the Liverpool-Manchester United rivalry vault.
Almost 5 years later, Martial found himself on the team sheet as the leading striker against the same side he scored his first Manchester United goal for - Liverpool. Ole Gunnar Solskjær gave the opportunity to Martial in the absence of an injured Marcus Rashford hoping to get a performance from the Frenchman but Martial failed to deliver.
Martial's time at Manchester United has been clouded with inconsistency. There is absolutely no scarcity of talent but his patchy form is a dilemma. Ex-United gaffer Jose Mourinho pointed it out on numerous occasions and Solskjær too must be feeling the same.
Sunday's clash between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield was the perfect opportunity for the Frenchman to make a statement in Rashford's absence. He couldn't do much in the first half but was presented with the amazing opportunity to level the score in the last quarter which he wasted. It summed up Martial's evening and on a bigger picture, it explained his overall time with the club.
Martial is a sort of an enigma and swings between extremes. Either he plays sensationally or delivers a dud. There is no midway for him which, to be honest, is a thing to worry about for Manchester United. Rashford's injury sent United devotees into a state of depression worrying as to who will take care of the goal scoring in the Englishman's absence. Mason Greenwood has been impressive but he is still in his early days so all heads turned to Martial.
Martial has been far from impressive in defeats against Liverpool and Burnley. The Frenchman is under the scrutiny from t ardent followers of the club. The question now is how long will the fans stand by Anthony Martial?
Also read: Anthony Martial agrees new Man United contract until June 2024
