Jose finally gets the best out of Martial
Forward scores and makes the other as he’s given a rare start
MAYBE, just maybe, Anthony Martial is getting the message.
When the young Frenchman killed off Watford with Manchester United’s second goal yesterday, Jose Mourinho stood on the touchline and punched the air repeatedly.
There have been occasions when he must have felt like punching Martial, such has been his palpable frustration at the winger’s lack of progress.
The man who could end up costing United £58million has endured a difficult second season after such a bright start at Old Trafford.
At times, the confidence and swagger of those early days seemed to have deserted him. A diffident demeanour has only added to the sense of young man drifting dangerously out of the picture.
Mourinho has challenged Martial to make the most of his first-team opportunities and then publicly rebuked him for not doing so.
The manager has used the stick and the carrot. He has benched the 21-year-old and, at times, left him out altogether.
Yesterday, Martial was a surprise starter and justified Mourinho’s decision with a man-of-the-match performance, helping create the first goal for Juan Mata and scoring the second himself.
For all the criticism directed his way, it is worth noting that the former Monaco winger has been involved in more Premier League goals for United than any other player since his sensational goalscoring debut against Liverpool 17 months ago.
Watford’s Craig Cathcart will not want to face him again in a hurry. Martial terrorised the former United defender and, notably, did his fair share of tracking back as well. A standing ovation when he left the pitch 10 minutes from time was well deserved.
Martial was the pick of an irrepressible United attack whose only failing was not to make more of the multiple chances they created, particularly in the first half.
For 30 minutes, it was a painfully familiar story for United.
Mourinho has bemoaned United’s finishing in nine league draws this season, including against Stoke, Burnley, West Ham and Hull — as well as some outstanding goalkeeping performances — and this game was going the same way with Watford No1 Heurelho Gomes on top form. But in the end Watford simply had no answer to United’s attacking verve as Mourinho’s side got around them with Martial on the left and Antonio Valencia on the right.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan again impressed in a more central No10 role with Mata a ready source of creativity.
Was it United’s best first half under Mourinho?
‘Not just under me,’ came the reply. ‘It was very good.
‘I think it is the kind of football that if, instead of being a Mourinho team it is somebody else’s team, you would say art. Because it is my team, you just say it’s very good, but that is fine. They play very well and the fans understood. They got behind them and pushed them. It was amazing.
‘We have an amazing record of being unbeaten but we should have more victories and with more victories we would be in a better position, but it is what it is.’
United are now unbeaten in 16 Premier League games, but it was vital that they extended that run with a win yesterday to keep the pressure on the rest of the top six before breaking off for four games in the cup competitions, starting with Thursday’s Europa League tie against Saint-Etienne at Old Trafford.
Gomes did his best to frustrate them in the first half, clawing away Paul Pogba’s 30-yard drive and keeping out another effort by the Frenchman from Valencia’s cross.
He also saved a header at pointblank range from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who also failed to beat the Brazilian with two volleys — the second after controlling an excellent pass from Pogba on his chest.
Mata had a goal ruled out when referee Bobby Madley ordered a
free-kick to be retaken before the little Spaniard finally beat Watford’s goalkeeper in the 32nd minute.
Mata helped start the move, playing a one-two with Mkhitaryan who slid the ball wide to Martial. He steered it across goal where Ibrahimovic dummied and Mata flicked in with the inside of his left boot.
Watford went closest to an equaliser eight minutes after the restart when Mauro Zarate’s 25-yard freekick brought a fine one-handed save from David de Gea.
But United made sure of victory with the second goal on the hour mark. Ander Herrera, again excel- lent in midfield, won back possession midway inside the opposition half and fed Pogba. The ball was transferred quickly between Mkihitaryan and Ibrahimovic to Martial who advanced on goal and looked like he was going to cross before cleverly drilling a shot just inside Gomes’s near post.
It prompted Watford’s best spell of the match as substitute Daryl Janmaat and Troy Deeney both missed chances.
But United had this sewn up, Martial had helped see to that. Mourinho can only hope the talented Frenchman kicks on from here.