How do Martial and Rashford compare after 250 games?
Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial both celebrated their 250th Manchester United appearance on Tuesday, as we beat West Ham 1-0 in the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup.
Since the 2015/16 season, our rapid forwards have been instrumental in our attack, scoring goal after goal and setting up countless others. Between them, they have a prolific 261 direct goal involvements.
So what better time to look back at some of their best moments and take a deep dive into the statistics? We've done just that, and learned some fascinating things about Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford…
Watch Martial's first United hat-trick
🎥🇫🇷 Tony was our MOTM with 85 per cent of the vote & in another poll 82 per cent said his third goal was the best...
In a quarter-century of matches for United, the pair have an astonishingly near-identical goalscoring and assist records. The Wythenshawe man just edges it with 83 goals and 51 assists, whereas the Frenchman has provided 78 strikes and 49 passes leading to goals for team-mates.
DEBUT GOALSTony Martial came from France in 2015, as the song goes, and since then he’s showed just what a phenomenal talent he is. He joined from Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in a deadline-day move and it did not take long for the then 19-year-old to make his mark. On his debut, against arch-rivals Liverpool, he came off the bench to score a dream goal in front of the Stretford End. The French forward skipped past Martin Skrtel with ease before slotting home a crucial goal to settle the game 3-1.
Rashford also announced himself to the Old Trafford faithful with a dream debut, scoring twice against Danish outfit Midtjylland in the UEFA Europa League in February 2016. The Academy product started the game following an injury to, coincidentally, Anthony Martial in the warm-up. With the summer signing also unavailable against Arsenal in our next fixture, and after Rashford's electrifying debut, the youngster got another chance from the off and made his Premier League debut. He took it well and scored twice against the Gunners at a sunny Theatre of Dreams.
He also found the back of the net on his UEFA Champions League debut, against Basel in 2017. It's fair to say Marcus loves a debut, as he also scored just minutes into his first England start, against Australia in 2016.
The duo have linked up for 16 goals in the 155 matches they have played together. Rashford has set up Martial on 10 occasions whereas the roles have been swapped for six. Who can forget the brilliant backheel Marcus provided for Anthony against Norwich City at Carrow Road last term?
The opponent who has been on the wrong side of the pair's combination play the most is Sheffield United. Rashford and Martial have combined for three goals against the Blades, with the England international assisting twice for the Frenchman's first United hat-trick against Chris Wilder's side in the summer of 2020.The first time our strikers combined directly for a goal was in their debut campaign, when United beat West Ham at the Boleyn Ground in the FA Cup. Rashford scored a screamer into the top far corner after a pass from Martial, helping the Reds closer towards a 12th FA Cup triumph.
Against Everton in the Carabao Cup in December this campaign, our no. 10 set up no. 9 as we went out 2-0 winners at Goodison Park. That is the last time the forwards combined directly for a goal but we’re sure there will be plenty more of it in years to come.
When Rashford and Martial combine
Heard the one about the Englishman and the Frenchman? Well, it’s no joke for opposition defences, as our video shows…
With the aforementioned goal on Merseyside, the Toffees became the side Martial has scored the most goals against, with six in 10 games. Among the classic goals he’s scored against Everton, the 25-year-old decided the 2016 FA Cup semi-final with a dramatic winner late on. What a day at Wembley that was!
Our no. 9 has scored the same amount of goals against West Ham, as well as assisting five, meaning he’s got more goal involvements than games versus the east London club.Rashford’s favourite opponents are Leicester and Chelsea. He’s punished both sides five times. Among the strikes against the Blues is the outstanding Cristiano Ronaldo-esque free-kick he scored at Stamford Bridge in the Carabao Cup in November 2019. The Academy product has never lost against the Foxes in eight encounters.
Who did it better, Rashford or Ronaldo?
Who did it better, Rashford or Ronaldo? Watch this split-screen view of their free-kicks and vote in the poll below...
In third and fourth spot among favourite opponents for the 23-year-old local hero, we find Manchester City and Liverpool, which certainly indicates Rashford is a man for the big occasion. Against the so-called top-six teams, which also feature Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, our no. 10 has 18 goals and six assists in 45 games.
MARCUS RASHFORD'S RECORD
Liverpool: Four goals, one assist
Manchester City: Four goals
Chelsea: Five goals, three assists
Tottenham Hotspur: Three goals
Arsenal: Two goals, two assists
Martial, meanwhile, has 12 goals and seven assists in 37 appearances against our top rivals. The no. 9 scored against our cross-town rivals City in the last fixture with fans at Old Trafford before the Covid-19 pandemic. A clever dinked free-kick from Bruno Fernandes was slotted home with a volleyed finish.
ANTHONY MARTIAL'S RECORD
Liverpool: Two goals, one assist
Manchester City: Three goals
Chelsea: Four goals, two assists
Tottenham Hotspur: One goal, two assists
Arsenal: Two goals, two assists