Don’t expect free-flowing football from the Red Devils on Sunday.
Just as Louis van Gaal had appeared to settle on Anthony Martial as a striker, not a winger, the 19-year-old has picked up an injury.
Martial hobbled away from Wembley last night after his side’s 2-0 loss to England. Didier Deschamps, his national team coach, believes Martial may have badly bruised his left foot.
There has been no mention of fractures or breakages yet but Martial will have his foot scanned this afternoon.
A statement on the official United website reads, “It is worth stating the true severity of [Martial’s] injury is yet to be confirmed and Louis van Gaal is likely to provide that update during his pre-match press conference at the Aon Training Complex on Friday.”
If the French teenager is out, van Gaal may look to Marouane Fellaini as a striking option. In 15 United games this season [seven starts], Fellaini has only found the net once.
Guess who’s back?At the beginning of the season, van Gaal had flagged the possibility of Fellaini competing for a place in United’s threadbare frontline.
The Belgian started the home win over Liverpool in an advanced role but the goalscoring appearance of Martial, off the bench, in that game saw him drop back to the bench.
Earlier this month, the United boss commented, “When I put Fellaini on as a striker, he is only a striker in Plan B, not Plan A.
“He has played as a striker once, against Liverpool, but that was because I had a problem [with injuries] and that is why I made him the striker from the beginning. However, that is not normal. He has to compete as a midfielder because he is more a midfielder than a striker.”
United fans will be pleased that club captain Wayne Rooney found the net for England in that France victory. Rooney has seven goals for United this season but has been in good form for his country.
