There are a number of attacking players vying for a place in the Manchester United starting lineup. Manager Jose Mourinho has now urged one of last season’s regulars Anthony Martial to start performing if he wants more game time.
Manchester United head into the game against West Ham United on the back of an emphatic 4-0 win over Feyenoord in the Europa League. The brilliant performance by Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan was one of the talking points of the game, and the 27-year-old has made a strong case to start in the Premier League.
The player most likely to be dropped is French forward Anthony Martial, with Mourinho urging the youngster to show his worth.
“You have one opportunity, you have two, you have three – if you don’t bite then somebody comes and takes the bait,” said Mourinho, according to the Sun.
“Anthony was OK for Feyenoord. I cannot play with 12 players. The players have to win their positions. They are friends, they are colleagues who work together every day but in the end they compete between themselves to have more chance to play.”
The Portuguese manager hinted that perhaps the possession-based style of play under Louis van Gaal was more conducive to getting the best out of Martial. He also added that there was a lot of competition for attacking positions in the team.
Anthony Martial had a sensational start to life as a Manchester United player, scoring on his debut against arch-rivals Liverpool. The 20-year-old finished the season as United’s top scorer in all competitions, with 17 goals in 49 appearances.
However, things have gone sour for the Frenchman under new manager Jose Mourinho. He has started only five games in the Premier League under Mourinho, scoring just one goal and making two assists. Martial also had to give up the number 9 shirt to summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Mourinho has benched Martial on several occasions because of his lack of form. The Portuguese manager had reportedly been speaking in private to the Frenchman about his game, and these comments appear to be the latest attempt to motivate Martial.
