Several disgruntled Manchester United fans who made the journey to Craven Cottage for Saturday’s Premier League victory over Fulham expressed their disappointment with Anthony Martial. The 27-year-old player allegedly ignored the elated away supporters and headed straight down the tunnel after the late winning goal by Bruno Fernandes.
Once again, United’s performance in west London left much to be desired, requiring a moment of brilliance from Fernandes in the 91st minute to put an end to their recent struggles at Old Trafford.
Rasmus Hojlund has been a regular starter for United in both the Premier League and Champions League over the past ten games, making a strong recovery from a minor back injury sustained during the preseason with Atalanta.
Martial, the £72 million star, started a couple of Premier League games during his recovery at the beginning of the season but has since been limited to just two starts, both of which were in the Carabao Cup.
His contributions this season have been minimal, having scored only once in 14 appearances, leading to him being labeled as an impactless impact substitute.
While Martial has never been known for his charismatic presence since joining United as a teenager in 2015, his body language indicates that he is not content with his current backup role under Ten Hag.
Sharp-eyed observers who witnessed Fernandes’ spectacular last-minute goal noticed that Martial was the only player in the shot who did not visibly celebrate the victory.
After the game, some fans vented their frustration on social media, accusing Martial of snubbing the loyal supporters and heading straight for the tunnel after his brief 16-minute appearance.
With his contract set to expire next summer, it’s unlikely that the club will extend his stay, marking the end of what has ultimately been a disappointing nine-year tenure at Old Trafford.
Martial initially arrived in Manchester as one of Europe’s most promising young forwards, even winning the Golden Boy award. However, a series of relentless injuries hindered his development, and he never reached the potential he displayed almost a decade ago.
In his 311 appearances for United, Martial has scored 89 goals and provided 54 assists but has struggled to maintain a consistent run of form over an extended period.
His standout season came under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019/20, where he netted 23 goals and contributed 12 assists in 48 games, providing some much-needed excitement during a bizarre Covid-affected campaign.
However, there are reports that Ten Hag is actively seeking a new striker in the January transfer window, which may expedite Martial’s departure from the club before next summer.