Gary Neville Slams Anthony Martial’s Underperformance at Manchester United
Gary Neville, the former Manchester United player, has strongly criticized Anthony Martial, describing his continued presence at the club as unacceptable, especially as the team’s leading striker.
Martial, a French forward known for his recurring injury issues, was chosen to start in the Carabao Cup match against Newcastle, which took place at Old Trafford. Unfortunately, the Red Devils endured a humiliating evening, losing 3-0 to Newcastle’s B team and getting eliminated from the competition.
Neville expressed his frustration, highlighting Martial’s goal drought. He pointed out that Martial has gone 13 appearances in all competitions this season without scoring, and his performance last season was subpar, with only nine goals in 29 appearances.
Neville questioned the club’s recruitment choices and the failure to address Martial’s underperformance. He suggested that Martial’s lackluster performances have also hindered the development of Rasmus Hojlund, a promising young talent who arrived at the club during the summer.
Neville stated, “Sometimes I ask myself the question, when you walk away from a broadcast like Sunday, thinking, ‘Are we being too harsh?’ But when you hear that stat that a guy [Martial] has been at the club nine years, a goalscorer that cost £50 million, £60m, £70m, has scored basically 89 goals in nine years and we still can’t get him out the club, I don’t think we are being too harsh. I don’t think we’re being harsh enough.”
Neville stressed the need for changes and better recruitment in the football department and pointed out that the current situation has left Manchester United without a reliable center forward.
He expressed sympathy for Rasmus Hojlund, who, according to Neville, is under immense pressure to be the team’s main striker. Neville believes that Hojlund would perform better if he had experienced partners like Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, or Eric Cantona, who could ease the pressure on him. However, the responsibility has fallen on Hojlund, making it challenging for him. In contrast, Neville did not express the same sympathy for Anthony Martial, who has been at the club for an extended period.
Andy Cole, who was also part of the punditry team, echoed Neville’s sentiments, emphasizing that Martial’s goal record at Manchester United, nine years and 89 goals, is insufficient for a center forward at a club of United’s stature. He questioned whether Martial could lead Manchester United to success, given his lengthy time at the club with limited contributions.
Neville and Cole’s criticisms highlight the frustration surrounding Martial’s performances and the need for change and improvement at Manchester United.