Former Manchester United defender Gary Pallister believes Anthony Martial may have found a solution to the club’s striking headache, adding that the Frenchman has “come alive” as a central striker.
The France international was handed the opportunity to lead the attack for United after the departure of Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan last summer.
And Martial enjoyed his best season in front of goal during the 2019/20 campaign, as he netted 23 times across all competitions for the Red Devils.
Having watch the forward perform to the maximum, Pallister believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer need not go into the summer transfer market to sign a No.9
“Yeah, he’s wanted to play there [centrally] ever since he came to the club,” Pallister told Compare.bet. “To be quite honest with you, up until this season, he hasn’t looked like a striker, he’s been more of a threat coming from the wing. He’s not looked happy on occasion.
“Again, I’d put it down to being allowed freedom. We’re a team that looks forward now, a team that’s not scared anymore. He [Martial] looks a different player now.
“Maybe before, I would have said we were desperate for an out and out centre-forward – we brought [Odion] Ighalo in to do a short-term job and he did really well before the lockdown.
“If he [Martial] was still playing the way he did in previous seasons when he did play up front, I would have said we still need a centre-forward, but he’s come alive.
“He’s been sensational since the season has resumed. He’s scoring goals, he’s on the shoulder of defenders, making great runs, he’s got good ability on the ball to beat a man in the penalty box.
“If he continues that, all of a sudden we’re saying we’ve got a world-class centre-forward and that’s got to be a fantastic feeling for Ole.”
United are yet to make any major move in the transfer window thus far, but have been linked to quite a load of players.
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