Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claims Manchester United players need to 'feed' Anthony Martial more often after he scored twice against Newcastle.
Martial netted his first Premier League goal at Old Trafford since the first weekend of the season to take his tally for the season up to nine. The 24-year-old was sidelined for eight weeks with a hamstring injury but is still United's second-highest scorer this term.
Solskjaer withdrew Daniel James and Jesse Lingard for Andreas Pereira and Mason Greenwood in the only changes to the United side which lost on Sunday at Watford, where Martial was often isolated.
The United manager defended Martial's mercurial form and said United players accept they need to involve the Frenchman quicker in attacks. "The key is to give him the ball, give Antho the ball. He's not gonna be the one who runs down the channels all day long. We need to give him the ball and feed him.
"I think the boys have said that many times themselves, 'how are we gonna score a goal? Just feed Antho more', We need to play forward more into the frontmen and it's important for Anthony to touch the ball a lot and he feels in the game.
"Right foot left foot, I think today it was a similar goal to the one he got against City, down to the bottom with his left foot. Could've been his hat-trick."
Martial scored either side of the interval and also struck the post before he was substituted midway through the second-half. A United player has not plundered a league hat-trick since Robin van Persie against Aston Villa in April 2013 - the night they were last crowned champions.
With Burnley away on Saturday, Solskjaer decided to substitute forwards Martial and Marcus Rashford and insisted Martial's hat-trick hunting was not on his mind at the time of the number nine's removal.
"I've been taken off so many times by the gaffer on two!" Solskjaer joked. "It's about getting ready again, he's getting fit, playing more and more, there's a game in 48 hours.
"You can't risk the forwards - we don't have too many of them - so it was an easy decision to take Marcus and Anthony off and ready for Burnley."
Essein
507
#Mufc's stats VS Newcastle United 814 passes 90 % Pass accuracy 74% Possession 22 Shots 13 successful dribbles 10 Shots on Target 4 Goals A GREAT overall performance👍⭐
ManUtdRed
504
1.Martial could score goals but that's not his best attribute. 2.He is more of a forward who is involved in build up play and feeding two inverted forward in form of Rashford and Martial. 3.Firmino plays in similar position to Martial but their fans now know what his role is in the team,we needs to appreciate Martial for what he does for the team,Haaland is not going to hold the ball and sacrifice his game for others. 4.We were sh*t for 2months when he was injured,even when he plays badly he contribute a lot and make players around him better.
12UnitedGuyReborn
393
I think yesterday game was the pain killer pill Manchester United players and the fans needed and has longed for for months now, I thought Spurs vs Brighton was a beautiful match yesterday until I watched United game (pure Ecstasy ) and then the Liverpool vs Leicester game was awesome too Chelsea game was also satisfying for me though
Vipacdknot
375
martial is an in and out performer. he plays if he feels to play. sell him and bring haaland or timo weber. how many chances has he missed before. one match against a struggling newcastle does not mean everything.
SH221B
358
This Rashford-Martial-Greenwood is their best front three now. Ole has to stick with them in the coming games. Also Pogba is their best player and he should start in the midfield in coming games.
Vezonic22
323
Midfield should keep fielding Martial and Greenwood more. Rashford too but he should stop being a bit greedy yet I also understand him striving to be at his best. He has the same hunger and passion Ronaldo had.
mzeereal
18
Actually martial is talented.. Just on and off . But yesterday he was at his best. we hope it continues and more wins to Manchester united