“I’m sure he can come back even better” – Erik ten Hag singles out Manchester United star for special praise after win over Melbourne Victory

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes forward Anthony Martial can get "even better" following an excellent start to his pre-season tour. He stated that the French international needs to consistently work hard and have the right focus.

Martial scored against Liverpool in Manchester United's 4-0 win in a pre-season match in Thailand on July 12. He followed it up with another strike against Melbourne Victory to help United to a convincing 4-1 victory on July 15.

Martial has played as a centre-forward in his two pre-season games so far and Ten Hag believes the 26-year-old can refind his form if he can stay focused. Following the Red Devils' victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Dutch boss told reporters (as quoted by The Manchester Evening News):

"I'm sure he can come back even better. I think when he has the right focus and the right motivation and he works hard he will have production because he is a good player. I say when he has the right focus and every day delivers much then he will have production and it's up to him."

Martial scored just once for Manchester United last term before he was shipped out on to Sevilla in the second half of the campaign. He scored just once in 12 appearances for the Spanish side.

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Erik ten Hag told to find role for Anthony Martial at Manchester United this season

Martial arrived at Old Trafford from Monaco in 2015 with incredibly high expectations. However, he has failed to ever truly make a strong impact on the club.

The Frenchman has scored 79 times in 269 appearances, with just five of those strikes coming in the previous two Premier League campaigns.

According to TalkSPORT, as per The Metro, Ten Hag has been urged to find a place for Martial in his team. The Red Devils hierarchy feels they can spend money on players in other areas of the pitch that need more drastic attention this summer. The forward has two years left on his contract, with the club having the option of a further year if they so wish.

On the face of it, Martial appears not to be an ideal fit for a Ten Hag system. The former Ajax manager is insistent on his attackers pressing from the front with high intensity.

It will be interesting to see how the Frenchman fits in under the new manager.