Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick has spoken out over Anthony Martial’s future, on the back of his side’s win over West Ham.
The name of French wide-man Martial has of course returned to the fore on the red half of Manchester on Saturday, on the back of his surprise introduction to proceedings late in the action at Old Trafford.
Martial, who has long made his intention to depart United clear this month, was afforded a ten-minute cameo as the Red Devils went in search of a crucial winner amid a tense Premier League battle with the aforementioned West Ham.
And the former Monaco talent went on to take full advantage of the opportunity handed to him, impressing in adding another dimension to the club’s attack late on.
Not only that, but Martial’s through ball deep into injury-time teed up Edinson Cavani’s assist for Marcus Rashford, which ultimately proved the game’s telling moment.
RASHFORD WINS IT FOR UTD IN THE LAST SECOND ???
The Red Devils leapfrog West Ham into fourth on the Premier League table! ?#OptusSport #PL #MUNWHU pic.twitter.com/9NF6PdbJgx
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) January 22, 2022
In turn, on the back of the action coming to a close at Old Trafford, it came as little surprise when Ralf Rangnick was drawn on Martial’s situation at the club.
And the interim Red Devils boss was first simply keen to heap praise on his out-of-favour attacker:
? Rangnick: “The way he [Martial] trained and played when he came on today showed his professionalism I expect from everybody.”
— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) January 22, 2022
From here, though, crucially, Rangnick reiterated the fact that Martial, as things stand, remains intent on sealing a January departure:
? Rangnick: “He’s [Martial] a top player, one of the best strikers in the Premier League, but we have other players in his position and it is his wish to leave but, as I said to him, it always takes different parts to find an agreement.”
— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) January 22, 2022
Top-4 eyed
Their latest 3-point haul, a 2nd in the space of four days for United, has seen Rangnick’s men climb clear of all of West Ham, Tottenham and Arsenal amid the tense battle for Champions League football in the English top-flight.
Saturday’s result proved particularly damaging for David Moyes’ Hammers, who now sit a point adrift of United in 5th, whilst having played a game more.
Spurs, meanwhile, sit a point further back, but boast a whopping four games in hand on West Ham.
And Mikel Arteta’s Gunners too remain firmly in the mix, a point adrift of their north London rivals with three games in hand on West Ham, and two on United.
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