Anthony Martial made an instant impact at Old Trafford following his £36m move from Monaco. Collecting the ball on the left hand side a few minutes into his debut, the Frenchman ghosted passed a panicked-looking Martin Skrtel and slotted the ball past Simon Mignolet to the delight of many Silentbet.com punters, showing the confidence of a man with twice his experience.
Five years and 63 goals later though and jury is still out on the talented 24-year-old. Usurped by Marcus Rashford as the most promising young forward at the club, Martial is yet to manage more than the 11 Premier League goals he managed in his first season.
Now, this is not to say that he isn’t a valuable part of this squad. When on song, Martial and Rashford have a wonderful understanding and with 16 goals from 34 appearances in all competitions this term, he has had a strong campaign. However, doubts remain about whether he will reach the huge levels of potential that many hoped he possessed on his arrival.
One of the key questions that seems to surround Martial is his position. Having played much of his football from the left of a front three, it remains unclear as to where he is most comfortable. Balancing the strengths of Rashford has also been a consideration for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and when it comes to accommodating his forwards and setting up his side, you get the feeling that Solskjaer has favoured the England international.
Injuries have also played a part and Martial is yet to make more than 30 appearances in a single Premier League campaign. Persistent and reoccurring concerns have prevented him from building momentum over an extended period of time and this can prove damaging during a key phase in his development.
Martial remains a good player and one with plenty of potential. However, at this point is difficult to say that he has fully lived up to expectations.