For the first time since the opening weekend of the season, Manchester United looked dangerous going forward.
Their attacking output had plummeted in recent times, with the Red Devils barely able to create chances, let alone score goals. They had become toothless, forced to just pass the ball around the midfield and keep possession. United fans were getting bored.
That changed on Sunday, and a big reason why was the return of Anthony Martial.
A warm welcome back
The Frenchman had been out of the team for months, picking up a hamstring injury at the end of August in the 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace. It didn’t seem major at the time, but the medical staff was worried that bringing him back too soon would only make things worse. He would ultimately miss eight games because of it, with the Red Devils sliding down the Premier League standings in his absence.
Martial finally came back to the side about a week ago, coming off the bench to help United secure a 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool. He gained some crucial match fitness the following Thursday, starting versus Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League and playing for 60 minutes, grabbing a goal in the process.
Both of those appearances were in preparation for the match against Norwich, where the pressure was on the Frenchman to be United’s saviour going forward. Luckily for all involved, he delivered.
Growing more into the game as time went on, Martial was influential early. He came incredibly close to opening the scoring for the away side, but his header from a few yards out was immaculately saved by Tim Krul.
He wasn’t directly involved in either of the goals in the first half, but Martial did play a huge part in United’s third, which put the game to bed.
Picking up the ball near midfield, the Frenchman drove forward before playing a quick give-and-go with Marcus Rashford. Getting the ball back in the penalty area, Martial finished off the move in style, chipping Krul from only a few inches out. He then wheeled away in celebration, flashing a rare bright smile to the cameras.
It wasn’t a perfect performance, however, as Martial did miss a penalty in the final moments of the first half. Usually cool and confident from the spot, his effort was unexpectedly tame, with Krul able to save it with relative ease. The Dutch goalkeeper does have a history of saving spot-kicks, especially back at the 2014 World Cup, but Martial will be left disappointed with his attempt.
In fairness, Norwich are a mess at the back. Only one team has conceded more goals than them in the league, and the Canaries cannot stop themselves from making defensive mistakes. The fact that they gave away two penalties in the same half proves how tragic they are at the moment, and things have to change fast if Norwich want to have any chance of staying up.
A new dynamic
That shouldn’t take away from how good Martial was on Sunday. His hold up play, in particular, was key, as he often dragged Norwich defenders out of position, opening space for teammates in the process. His passing has improved as well, as the Frenchman can now reliably pick out others on the field.
The United player who gained the most by having Martial back on the pitch was Marcus Rashford. The Englishman had to play up top on his own in recent weeks, and was floundering. He was getting little support, and he had a hard time as a traditional centre-forward.
That changed with Martial back in the team, as Rashford shifted out wide, where he’s usually more dangerous. He now had someone to play off of in the final third, with the final goal versus Norwich demonstrating how much chemistry the two have together. With the focus on the Frenchman up top, Rashford has more space to operate with.
The timing of Martial’s return is key, as United has the chance to finally go on a winning streak. Their upcoming schedule in the league is favourable, as they’ll face the likes of AFC Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Sheffield United, and Aston Villa.
Those are far from guaranteed wins, of course, but if United want any chance of sneaking back into the top four, then they’ll have to start picking up points on a consistent basis.
Luckily for the Red Devils, that is now possible with Martial back in the lineup.