Martial aims to be more of a marksman
Anthony Martial says he is determined to score more close-range goals as he looks to take on more responsibility in leading the attack.
The Frenchman has been out injured since the match with Crystal Palace but is back in training and could hopefully be back in contention for the big game against Liverpool after the international break.
In a feature interview with the new issue of Inside United, conducted before the Palace game, he discussed all aspects of the art of goalscoring and made it clear that he can add more scruffy strikes to his game, to go with any spectacular finishes.
The predatory effort against Chelsea, on the opening day of the season, was just the sort of goal his manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, would have been proud of and there is an understanding from the 23-year-old he should be able to contribute more of these strikes as a no.9, after reverting to the shirt number and being deployed in a central role.
"We all prefer beautiful goals but, at the end of the day, a goal is still a goal," he told the official club magazine. "So, if I could score 30 goals like I scored in the game against Chelsea, I would take that right now!
"I guess I have tended to score quite nice goals and so, if I managed to score more of this kind of goal, in addition to the more spectacular ones, then I'd end up with a much higher goals total come the end of the season.
"Now that I've taken the no.9 shirt back once again, all he [Ole] has said to me is that I have a lot of responsibility and that I have to score goals, so that's what I am trying to do."
Martial also reveals that his favourite strike came on his debut, against our next opponents, during a famous 3-1 victory over the Merseysiders in 2015.
Hopefully, the striker can come up with more of the same if he is available and selected for this latest Old Trafford encounter with our fiercest rivals.
All The Angles: Martial v Liverpool
Enjoy Anthony Martial's superb 2015 debut goal against Liverpool from every angle...
"My favourite goal still has to be the one against Liverpool," he said. "It was my first game and I was still discovering Old Trafford for the first time.
"It was a really magnificent goal and, more importantly, it meant that we went on to win the game.
"So, yes, that's the best."
Read the full, extensive interview with Anthony on the subject of hitting the back of the net in the new edition of Inside United. The magazine is available to buy online, in shops and at Old Trafford.