Two games played - two wins, eight goals scored, not one conceded. Jose Mourinho couldn’t have envisaged a better start to the 2017/18 Premier League season for Manchester United. Indeed, the Old Trafford side have put down an early marker, with some already installing them as favourites to win the title.
On the basis of their opening two performances, this isn’t a typical Mourinho side. United have been exhilarating to watch against both West Ham and Swansea City, with the signings of Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic getting the best out of the glittering attacking line assembled at Old Trafford over the last few weeks.
With the temptation to lump the ball forward to Zlatan Ibrahimovic no longer a factor, Man Utd have been liberated. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has produced four assists in two games, with Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba and Juan Mata also shining early on this season. But it’s the performances of Anthony Martial that have perhaps been most significant.
Not so long ago, Martial’s future at Old Trafford was in doubt. Mourinho, it was believed, was no fan of the Frenchman, with reports claiming he would leave United over the summer. He stayed, though, and his performances against West Ham and Swansea have underlined just how important he could be for Mourinho this season.
At one point, it was speculated that Man Utd could offer Martial to Inter Milan as part of a deal for Ivan Perisic. Of course, the Croatian winger has been a target for Mourinho all summer long, with the San Siro side so far digging their heels in over their stance that the player won’t be leaving. Indeed, recent reports state that it’s more likely that Perisic will sign a new Inter deal than pitch up at Old Trafford.
Martial’s displays show why Manchesrer United don’t need Perisic, though. The theory behind Mourinho’s pursuit of the Croatian is sound, with the Portuguese looking to give his side more pace and directness on the counter attack. That is something Perisic would bring, fulfilling a very specific purpose in Mourinho’s grand plan.
But why can’t Martial fulfil that purpose? The Frenchman, similarly, has pace to burn, as he showed in his two substitute appearances against both West Ham and Swansea City. With the opposition sides tiring, Martial was the perfect option to stretch the pitch and open up spaces to pile on the goals in the latter stages of the match.
While Perisic might be slightly quicker on the break, Martial offers much more of a goal threat. Fundamentally, he is a far superior player, and it should be kept in mind that he is still one 21. The Frenchman deserves more credit than he gets. All things considered, he is one of the brightest young talents in the game.
Last season, United relied on Ibrahimovic to a detrimental extent. By playing to the Swede’s strengths they compromised the rest of their frontline. This season, they need others to contribute to the goal tally. They mustn’t depend on Lukaku in the same way they did with Ibrahimovic.
Martial, along with Rashford, Mkhitaryan and Pogba, is one of the players who can take on that mantel. It’s difficult to envisage that Perisic would do the same thing. The former, quite simply, ticks more boxes than the latter. United have a need for someone like Perisic, but that need is already fulfilled by Martial. And then some.
