Jose Mourinho has pleaded with Anthony Martial to show more for Manchester United.
The Frenchman has endured a difficult season under the Portuguese, but his manager has urged him to follow Marcus Rashford’s example in turning things around.
Statistically, United actually have the second best defence in the Premier League, with only second-placed Tottenham having conceded fewer goals.
The Red Devils’ problem is scoring them at the other end. As much as they can rely on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has hit 17 league goals, without the Swede, it is clear there is something missing.
Martial has netted just six times in all competitions this term and wasn’t even deemed worthy of a place on the bench in the 2-0 victory over Chelsea on Easter Sunday.
Several players have received that harsh treatment from Mourinho, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan is perhaps the best example that the boss’ mind can be changed.
Rashford, too, has suffered from a touch of ‘second-season syndrome’, but he now looks to have his confidence back.
And Mourinho has told Martial to follow suit and start putting in performances.
“Is Anthony player with great potential? Yes. Can he play for success with me? Yes, but he needs to give things for me I like,” Mourinho told a press conference.
“We have been together for almost 10 months. The same way I know the players better now, the players they should know me much better now.
“The same way I know what the players like, I think the players also know what I like.
“The same way I have to go in the direction of the players, they also have to come in my direction and that is the point.”
Singling out Rashford for praise, Mourinho added:
“That is why Marcus Rashford even without scoring, even when he hadn’t scored in the Premier League, even without that, he was always a player I trust, I play and support.
“He was always coming in my direction for what I want from a Manchester United player. It is about getting to know each other better and better and go in the direction of things I like.”
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