Anthony Martial: Not like Henry, but like Anelka

MU's victory at Southampton was marked by Anthony Martial, the 19-year-old striker who was once considered a "rushed" signing by Louis van Gaal.

Martial shines in the last 2 Premier League matches

NOT HENRY, MARTIAL IS THE NEW ANELKA

Martial's performance statistics are not impressive. He completed only 16/28 passes (57%), and only 6/14 in the opponent's half, as well as winning only 7/13 aerial challenges.

VIDEO: MU - Dream with the name Anthony Martial

But those are statistics about building play. The most important task of a striker is to score goals, and Martial has done it very well. It is not the style of Thierry Henry as praised by the French media, but according to Piers Morgan, an English football expert and Arsenal fan, it is more like Nicolas Anelka.

Indeed, there is something “very Anelka” about Martial. Sometimes, this young striker loses the ball and disappoints in simple situations, but every time he has a chance to score, he shows great composure and has the potential to create a breakthrough.

Martial was so calm in his turns in the box that Southampton’s defense had no idea what to do. He also took full advantage of the opportunity Maya Yoshida gave him to complete his double, a move that showed the “killer” instinct of a top-class striker. Clearly, Van Gaal has an extremely cold striker in his hands, a rarity at MU since the time of Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Martial has a style very similar to Anelka

THE CHALLENGER OF HISTORY

With a brace against Southampton, Martial has made history. He is the third player to score in both of his first two Premier League games for MU, along with Louis Saha and Federico Macheda. The 19-year-old striker's efficiency is impeccable, with 4 shots, 3 on target and scoring in all 3 of them, achieving a shot success rate of up to 75%.

Martial is paying back every penny of his £36 million fee for MU, with 3 goals in 2 appearances. Even a veteran strategist like Van Gaal could not hide his satisfaction with the contract that was once considered a "rushed purchase": "He possesses great talent and the ability to withstand great pressure. I am pleased to see him integrate well into the team's style of play."

Of course, a good start does not necessarily mean a good end. Look no further than Saha and Macheda. They were once “phenomena” at Old Trafford but declined surprisingly quickly and were forgotten. Martial had an impressive starting point, but from “phenomenon” to stardom is a long journey.

According to Bongdaplus