Martial is feeling benefits of his focused fitness drive

ANTHONY MARTIAL has revealed his increased fitness levels have helped take his game to its highest level.

The French striker has been criticised in the past for a languid approach.

But after chats with boss Ole Gunnar

Solskjaer the

24-year-old is now, fitter, stronger – and Manchester

United’s first line of defence.

Martial (right) said: “My job, or aim is to score goals. Then when I don’t have the ball it’s to be the first defender, meaning

I have to press and close down.

“It’s something we work on in training and we’ve also worked hard on my fitness.

I’ve put in some great work with the coaching staff.

“Now I want to make sure I

continue in the

MY SHOUT: Jurgen Klopp celebrates the win same vein in order to be even better for next season.”

Martial won an intense personal race with strike partner Marcus Rashford MAGIC MO: to be United’s top scorer Salah last slots season with 23 goals to home the England the star’s 22. opener and

But he says (inset) their is rivalry is mobbed ‘healthy by competition’ team mates does not come before the good of the team.

“It doesn’t drive us on, not especially. Because we just try to help each other out,” Martial told Inside United, the official Manchester United magazine. “For example, there are some games where maybe a shot is on and then I decide to wait and see, and I give him the ball because I want him to score. And he does the same thing for me.”

The September issue of Inside United, featuring the exclusive interview with Martial, is on sale from Tuesday.