Blinksportsnews247Supporters of Manchester United will be terrified that Rasmus Hojlund might not be at Goodison Park on Sunday. The sight of Anthony Martial, his likely replacement, would be dreaded by Evertonians.
Martial’s most wretched three years at United have been the last three: he has only scored eighteen goals since the 2020–21 season began, has endured protracted layoffs, an unimpressive loan in Seville, and missed the World Cup and European Championship.
Martial continued to score during that time, too, against Everton in December 2020, once more in October 2021, setting up Antony for an equaliser at Goodison in October 2022, and scoring the game-winning goal at Old Trafford in April.
Since Martial was first matched against Everton at Goodison eight years ago, Everton has been his pet team. In an unexpectedly accomplished 3-0 United triumph on a melancholy day in October 2015 when Everton was mourning Howard Kendall, he had Seamus Coleman on toast.
Coleman, an Everton stalwart once of interest to United, was sufficiently spooked by Martial’s entrance in the teams’ last fixture that his lapse resulted in Martial’s contest-killing side-footer.
Martial is as much of a scourge to Everton as Pascal Gross is to United. In Martial’s first season in England, there were winners against Everton at Old Trafford and in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Goodison Park is the away ground Martial has graced the joint most in his United career.
Martial has eight goals in 16 games against Everton. Roberto Martinez, Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benitez and Sean Dyche have all been powerless to halt Martial. Frank Lampard is the only Everton manager whose side did not concede to Martial.
This paints such a flattering picture of a No.9 who does not live up to his number. Martial has started four times this season and has not been in a league XI since the defeat at Arsenal on September 3.
He turns 28 the week after next and another milestone is looming. Martial has not completed 90 minutes in a Premier League match since the defeat to Sheffield United on January 27, 2021.
The only audible cheers from United fans during the humbling by Newcastle in the League Cup were those reserved for Martial’s removal in the 64th minute. The boos that sound tracked Hojlund’s withdrawal against Brighton in September were possibly amplified by the identity of his replacement: Martial.
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