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When Manchester United gave the green light to let both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez go in the summer, without signing any replacement at all, the burden of scoring goals was undoubtedly placed on the shoulders of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.

The duo got off to the perfect start in the Red Devils’ 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea, getting on the score-sheet and looking like they were ready to kick on for the rest of the campaign. However, after providing two goals and an assist in his first three Premier League games of the season, Martial suffered an injury that kept him out for the best part of two months.

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In his absence, his strike partner Rashford suffered a major dip in form, finding the back of the net once in a run of seven games in the top-flight. Questions of why they let Lukaku go in the first place reared their ugly heads once more, and so Martial’s comeback from his lay-off against Liverpool last weekend was a most welcome sight. Fast forward a week later, and the £36m man had scored against both Partizan Belgrade and Norwich.

We asked our team of Football FanCast writers to give their verdicts on just how important the former AS Monaco man is.

Matt Dawson

“It may have taken a while but finally United’s forward line is beginning to click. With a front three of Dan James, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, it should leave a whole host of defences up and down the country frightened.

“All blessed with tremendous pace, it is perhaps Martial who is the most important of the trio. With him in the side this season they have lost just once and he’s had a devastating impact with five goals in just nine games. On that evidence, he could help save Solskjaer’s job, such is the pressure on his back. If United are to improve under the Norwegian, they need him to stay fit. He is a crucial cog in the machine and he can only get better, just like each of their forward line.
The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

“With Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku departing, they needed someone to stand up and be counted. So far in 2019/20, Martial has been that man. The huge price tag put upon his shoulders when he first moved from Monaco doesn’t look as though it’s a burden anymore. 2020 could just be the year of the France international at Old Trafford.”

Kealan Hughes

“It was clear from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s transfer dealings in the summer than Anthony Martial would be his main man this season, and so far he has lived up to what is expected of him.
“He has also shown that he can link-up effectively with Marcus Rashford with goals against Norwich and Wolves, and due to the pace and finishing ability of the pair they could be pivotal to any chances of success.
“The only concern would be his injury/fitness issues, but if he does begin to feature regularly again then the goals will follow, as they have already, and that should help to solve the team’s problem in attack, with only 13 goals in ten league games.”

Charles Jones

“I think Anthony Martial has proven himself to be one of Manchester United’s most important players, not just through his performances when he is playing, but by how much United miss him when he isn’t.
“It’s a telling stat that United have scored 56% of their goals this season with Martial and Rashford both on the pitch together despite the Frenchman suffering a long injury layoff.
“If the Red Devils are to have even the slightest hint of a successful season Martial will be paramount to that, and his performances since coming back have shown that he’s one of their most important players.”

Vijievan Jeevathayalan

“Whilst Anthony Martial was on the side-lines, Rashford’s struggles in front of goal only seemed to make the former a much better player. So when he walked back on to the hallowed Old Trafford pitch against Liverpool, the cheer from the Manchester United faithful was almighty. There was an undoubted sense of ‘here comes our goal-scoring saviour’.
“And those sentiments were arguably vindicated by the fact he scored the winner against Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League last Thursday, before helping his side score three goals against Norwich – the first time since their opening game against Chelsea that they had scored more than once in a competitive fixture.
“So just as much as his footballing abilities, Martial’s return from injury has given the entire squad and fan-base a major lift in spirits, with Solskjaer himself even admitting how pleased he was to have him back. The Frenchman’s continued presence in the team can be the catalyst for the Red Devils to well and truly kick-start their campaign”.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

It was close and uncomfortable for Liverpool against Aston Villa on Saturday, but the three points are all that matters to the Reds in the end.

The Villans led 1-0 until the last five minutes of normal time, but Andrew Robertson was on hand to equalise before Sadio Mane scored his 10th goal of the season in the fourth minute of injury time to grab the victory.

Watch the moment Adam Lallana broke United hearts at Old Trafford in the video below…

It now means that Jurgen Klopp and co are six points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, with the two facing off next week at Anfield.

This match against the Villans will have given Pep Guardiola and co confidence though, even despite the heroic comeback at the end. This was not the most stellar display from the Reds, and Roberto Firmino was one of those who struggled to make an impact.

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Yes, he may have made a match-leading four key passes, but that was in contrast to the zero shots on target he managed. Overall, the six-time European champions managed to make Tom Heaton work just six times from 25 efforts, which goes some way to explaining why they made such a meal of the eventual victory.

Not only that, but the Brazil international, who signed for the club in 2015 from Hoffenheim for a fee of £29m, failed to complete a single dribble and lost all six of the ground duels he contested. He didn’t do much better aerially, either, triumphing in just two of the five battles he took part in. The 80% pass accuracy was another aspect of his game that was lacking.

The 28-year-old is a team player, with his impressive assist record often being used to prove his worth to the side but, at the end of the day, he is a striker, and his remit should be scoring goals. So far this campaign, he has just three strikes in 16 outings, and although he does have eight assists, his lack of goals is a concern.

Recently, there have been rumours linking the Reds with a move for Timo Werner, with Ian McGarry suggesting that the club had opened negotiations over a permanent deal while speaking on The Transfer Window podcast. The Germany international caught the eye for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga against Mainz at the weekend, bagging a hattrick of both goals and assists against Mainz.

The former Stuttgart striker, who moved to Die Rotenbullen in 2016 for €10m (£8.6m), is adept at both scoring and creating, and reportedly has a buy-out clause worth £27m.

In the last four seasons, he has played 93 leagues games, scoring 59 goals and providing 27 assists. £72m-valued Firmino – as per Transfermarkt – has played 23 more games in the Premier League, yet has 18 fewer goals and the same number of assists.

Liverpool’s number nine, meanwhile, has created just 1.5 chances per league match compared to the 23-year-old’s 2.2. All in all, Werner matches Firmino’s creative ability and has a superior goal scoring record.

The Brazilian may be a fan favourite, but this performance against Villa is just a microcosm of why the Merseyside outfit’s hierarchy should do all they can to bring the Bundesliga star to Merseyside.

Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to discuss January transfer target Alfredo Morelos, having produced some fine form for Rangers in the Europa League this season.The 3-cap Colombia international has netted two goals in three European outings under Steven Gerrard this season, while also maintaining a terrific goalscoring record domestically.

Morelos, 23, has scored five Scottish Premiership goals in nine appearances, and also scored eight times in just eight games throughout the Europa League qualifying rounds – he is prolific in front of goal, to say the very least.

Palace have been strongly linked with a January swoop for the Rangers No.20, with Eagles Sporting Director Dougie Freedman reportedly scouting Morelos at a recent game against Hearts – the Colombian found the net in that 1-1 draw.

After hearing about his Europa League form – including a goal against Portuguese giants Porto – some Palace fans began discussing Morelos.

Let’s take a look at some of the tweets…

Despite penning a new contract at Everton, keeping Josh Bowler at Goodison Park until 2021, recent news suggests it may be time to offload the winger and capitalise on some potentially brilliant business.

Bowler recently went out on loan to Hull City in the Championship soon after signing a new deal with the Toffees, scoring his first goal for the Tigers in their 3-0 win at Fulham last weekend, but he could be considered for a permanent move following a bright yet patient start to life in England’s second tier.

The Englishman is widely regarded on Merseyside as a top upcoming talent, especially following this incredible winner away at Brighton U23s last November, but with the valuation on his contract estimated at a staggering £5m, it may be time for the Toffees to sell up.

Given his clear footballing ability, as showcased with this incredible winner away at Brighton U23s, his statistics oddly don’t back them up – with the 20-year-old scoring just three times in 16 appearances for the youth side last season – whilst also failing to notch a single assist, as per Transfermarkt.

In any case, £5m is truly an astonishing sum for a young man who is yet to be called to the senior squad for a competitive game.

However, it’s clear to see Marco Silva’s side value the Londoner as a long-term prospect – especially considering they paid £1.5m to secure his services back in 2017 from QPR.

That being said, with the recent heavy investment from Everton’s owners this summer, times have changed – and depending on Bowler’s performances for Hull over the coming season – he faces increased competition to battle his way into contention on Merseyside.

Judging by his current circumstances and the potential strength Everton could have in future transfer markets for top talent, it may well be time to cash out on Bowler’s vast potential – especially with current employers Hull looking for a way back to get back to the top flight.

Everton fans, should the club cash in or keep hold of Bowler? Let us know in the comments below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

West Ham United were simply shambolic against Burnley, as a performance littered with errors saw them lose 3-0.

There was Fabian Balbuena’s shocking touch for their second, as well as Roberto’s calamitous attempt at a punch away from a corner.

The team statistics also show how off the pace they were, having half the shots of Burnley, 7 fewer corners, winning 9 less aerial duels and making 10 fewer dribbles.

While there weren’t many players who could walk away from this performance with their head held high, Issa Diop could.

The Frenchman was the only West Ham player who won more aerial duels than he lost, getting to 4 of the 5 he contested.

He was even more dominant in the tackle, as he won both of those that he attempted, one of three Hammers to be successful in all of their challenges.

In addition, he made 5 interceptions, which was 2 more than anybody else on the pitch, as well as making 3 clearances, with Balbuena and Roberto the only West Ham players to exceed that number.

The big criticism that could be made of his performance was that he gave the ball away too often, completing 72% of his attempted passes.

Considering his defensive solidity compared to the calamitous events that were unfolding around him, this was a decent display from the Frenchman.

Mundo Deportivo have recently come out with a new report stating that Barcelona had the chance to sign Arsenal prodigy, Gabriel Martinelli, back in January.

They claim the 18-year-old was actually on a trial over at their facilities and even played some football with their Juvenil A and Juvenil B squads.

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Unfortunately, the board decided that the youngster was not good enough so the club did not proceed with his signing.

Fast forward some months in the future and Martinelli is looking like a real talent who’s just waiting to emerge from his cocoon.

The 18-year-old has already scored seven goals in just nine games he has played for the Gunners, including three that he netted in the Europa League.

Upon hearing this update, however, many Barcelona fans were simply not surprised while one fan seems to think that the Blaugrana will get the player in the future anyway.

You can see some of their reactions and comments down in the collection of tweets below:

Whilst Celtic continue to pile on their wins in the Scottish Premiership, a number of fans on Twitter continue to remain rather confused and baffled by some of the decisions Neil Lennon appears to continuously make.

Although goals from Odsonne Edouard, Scott Brown and a brace from James Forrest were enough to sink Livingston at Celtic Park (BBC), some supporters still were not happy with a choice the boss made prior to the first whistle.

The Northern Irishman named a strong side to face their Scottish Premiership opponents on Saturday afternoon, however some spotted that there was a notable omission from the matchday squad that they just could not get their head around.

Scott Sinclair may have been extremely impressive during his time in Glasgow, but it appears he has fallen out of favour under Lennon and appears to be well down the pecking order at Paradise these days.

Despite having managed to record figures of 62 goals and 34 assists in his 166 games for Celtic, the 30-year-old has only managed to feature six times this season, with Lewis Morgan appearing to be ahead of him as his name continues to appear amongst the substitutes.

Indeed, that has left a number of fans scratching their heads as to why it continues to happen, with many believing Sinclair should be well ahead of the 23-year-old.

Here are just some of their reactions…

Celtic fans, what do you make of Sinclair’s continued snub? Let us know your thoughts by sharing them below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Leeds United are doing quite well at the moment aren’t they?

The Whites are unbeaten in their last seven and they’ve taken 12 points from the last 18 available to them as they sit third in the Championship.

The old adage goes ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, but Marcelo Bielsa may be tempted to tinker with his team once one injured star returns to action.

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Forshaw’s return

Phil Hay confirmed in a Q&A session with The Athletic that Adam Forshaw is edging closer to a return to the side.

Bielsa quite clearly rates Forshaw very highly as he’s recently claimed that he combines the best of Kalvin Phillips and Mateusz Klich, so his return leaves the Argentine with a big decision to make in the middle of the park.

Bielsa’s headache

This is going to be one of the biggest selection headaches that the 64-year-old has had to deal with since taking over at Elland Road.

At the moment Klich and Tyler Roberts are Bielsa’s midfield pairing, but it seems that only one of those two are likely to be dropped anytime soon.

The Poland international has started every single league game Bielsa has managed at Leeds, so it’s fair to say that his position in the team is pretty safe.

Instead, Forshaw would likely come in to replace Roberts, but dropping him would be an incredibly harsh decision.

The Welsh attacking midfielder has drawn a lot of praise from the fanbase for his performances in recent weeks, and he’s also been producing the goods having netted against QPR.

Forshaw is clearly highly-rated by the manager, but he’s got to consider his options wisely when contemplating how and when he will put him back into the team.

It was a frustrating night for Liverpool against Napoli on Wednesday.

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The Reds dominated possession, taking control of the ball for 71% of the 90 minutes, but they were only able to score one time through a powerful Dejan Lovren header.

For the vast majority of the game, they were unable to break through the sturdy defence of Carlo Ancelotti’s team, and the solitary point now leaves them needing to get at least the same against RB Salzburg.

Check out footballers’ biggest fashion disasters in the video below…

The Anfield outfit were dealt another cruel blow in the 19th minute, as well, when Brazil international Fabinho was forced off the pitch with an ankle injury.

He had tried to play on, but it became apparent that he would be unable to last the course. Called the best defensive midfielder in the world in September by Gary Neville (Sky Sports via Metro), his absence could be a huge blow.

The club’s supporters were worried by his removal from the pitch.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

In other news, one Liverpool star said he could have joined Napoli before moving to Anfield.

Leeds United fans have reacted to predictions made by reputable journalist Beren Cross regarding their squad next season should they gain promotion to the Premier League.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are on the cusp of gaining promotion to England’s top flight, sitting top of the Championship standings ahead of West Bromwich Albion.

The Whites have been in excellent form, for the most part, this season and are looking to gain automatic promotion after failing to gain promotion via the play-off route last term. Looking ahead to next season, Leeds United Live writer Beren Cross discussed Bielsa’s current squad, and predicted summer new summer arrivals.

A few names appeared on the list that have been in and out of the news this term so far, including Ben White, who is currently on loan from Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion.

Southampton striker Che Adams (linked in January) was also in the squad with Cross preferring the inconsistent Premier League striker to the likes of Ollie Watkins and Karlan Grant. Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in the squad was the inclusion of Ben Davies of Preston North End, given he’s not been linked with a move.

With the 24-year-old’s inclusion, Leeds fans were prompted to react via social media platform Twitter, and below are just some of those…

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