Carrick: Martial Will Get Even Better

Michael Carrick has praised Anthony Martial’s “superb impact” at Manchester United and opined the Frenchman has already improved during his exciting first season at Old Trafford.

Martial has already scored nine goals in 30 appearances since completing a high-profile transfer from Monaco last summer. Those statistics are mightily impressive and it is fair to suggest the Frenchman has impressed fans even more with his consistently influential performances in attack.

Vice-captain Carrick believes United have signed a top prospect in Martial and his only concern is that supporters temper their expectations, at least in the short term, for the flourishing 20-year-old livewire.

"The amount of ability he’s got is huge," Carrick told ManUtd.com. "The potential is certainly there. It’s easy to forget the age he is and how little football he’s actually played as well. To have such an impact at this stage, with the expectations based on him and the way he's dealt with it, has been superb.

"His performances have been very good," Michael continued. "I think we have to understand that sometimes he might not be that shining light and have days when it’s not quite happening for him, and that’s understandable. But over time he’ll improve and I’ve seen a big improvement already in this short time. Hopefully that trend will continue and he’ll get better and better."

Aside from his goals and assists, one of Martial’s biggest assets is his unerring ability to dribble past his marker at pace, and Carrick admits it must be a nightmare for opposition defenders to mark him.

"He makes it look so effortless," Carrick told us with a smile. "It almost looks like he’s not really sprinting but he has that burst of two or three yards to get past players.

"You certainly wouldn’t want to be defending against him one-on-one in the box because once he knocks it by you and gets that yard, he’s away! He’s been so effective for us in the last couple of games."