Jesus, it’s almost like Anthony Martial is a really good football player.
Anybody who picks the ball up here and goes on to score a goal has something about him.
A nutmeg of Joey Barton is all it takes to open up the Burnley floodgates.
That, and pure power thereafter.
A ball through for Herrera.
A typically measured first-time ball back.
And the rest is history.
Yes, when you put your faith in a Frenchman that lit up the league at times last season, wonderful things can happen.
Jose Mourinho experienced it on Sunday afternoon.
With one scintillating first half performance, Anthony Martial showed his Portuguese boss what he’s been missing all this time.
He even helped Wayne f**king Rooney score.
In the absence of the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic, United showed off the strength of their squad and reeled out the like of Rooney and Martial back into the team and it paid immediate dividends.
But the 21-year-old seemed to be out of favour for much of the season having started just 12 Premier League games and he’s had to listen to the manager speaking in classically cryptic language about his future too.
So he responded in the best possible way.
21' – GOOOAAAL! Burnley 0 #MUFC 1. @AnthonyMartial's cool finish puts us ahead! #BURMUN pic.twitter.com/8iF6W37SVX
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 23, 2017
And of course there was more.
Martial forced Heaton into a save from a tight angle after great work from @PaulPogba & Rooney picked up the pieces to score! #MUFC #BURMUN
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 23, 2017
His success therefore brought with it some frustration with fans of the club wanting to see him in the team more often.
https://twitter.com/Codzillahd_/status/856141606776438784
Tony martial scores again!!! Don't know how mourinho can keep him out! @ManUtd @AnthonyMartial
— Jordan kiernan (@Jordan180_) April 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/NathanTruesdal2/status/856146691711528961
Martial is always proving Mourinho wrong!
— Tactical Genius ❤MUFC❤ (@Yamani_MGK) April 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/Sir_Yoko/status/856144794975907841
Very few things I disagree with Mourinho on, but Martial's the exception. No bigger pain in the arse on his day
— Neez (@ebeneezerdud) April 23, 2017
Some people reckon it was all part of the plan though.
https://twitter.com/TheFootballTerr/status/856146726629117953
Jose Mourinho's public criticism of his players seem to work too well. Smalling, Shaw and now Martial have stepped up. #FootballEinsteins
— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) April 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/harsheyjones/status/856146098754396162
But why did they need a plan for such a talented kid?
https://twitter.com/Mr_CallumWright/status/856141346998034434
As Graeme Souness at half time, “there’s a player in that boy.”
Catch up with this week’s episode of 888Sport Football Friday Live
