In Australia’s third biggest city, Manchester United picked up their third pre-season win, scoring three goals.
The number three was prominent here, so it feels somewhat fitting that it was the attacking trident — who for different reasons, Manchester United fans have great attachment to — that stole the headlines in Melbourne.
Anthony Martial opened the scoring before Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho added to it, with the latter two goals each involving all three players heavily.
Advert
It was the cherry on top for what has been an extremely important pre-season tour for the three attackers, collectively and individually.
Rashford and Martial’s respective declines alongside Sancho struggling to get going made last season a particularly difficult one for them, the toughest of each players’ career.
With Sancho, most were confident that he’d just had a difficult first season and would come to life under Erik ten Hag. With the other two, not so much.
But so far on Manchester United’s pre-season tour — whilst crucially, it is just pre-season — the two forwards whose careers in many ways feel intertwined have shown signs of recovery.
Advert
Anthony Martial has been a standout for United, scoring in every single game, as well as offering everything he does in possession and crucially being far more active out of it than ever before.
Marcus Rashford, whilst still having some shaky moments, looks in the best physical condition he’s been in for three years. This is not a shock, given how horribly his fitness was managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjær.
After a few weeks of proper rest and some individual training, and a step up in training intensity under new boss Ten Hag, Rashford and Martial both look their quickest in a long time.
Advert
All this, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo’s desire to leave, has made the original dream of a Rashford, Martial, Sancho front three look a real possibility, despite it being out of the question for many as recently as a month ago.
But how could this front three look across the season in more intense, difficult games and will the dynamics work?
Let’s start with a little tactical overview. Ten Hag likes his wingers to hold width and often they will be found receiving on the touchline.
From his centre forward, whilst he likes them to be able to contribute in build up - often utilising the ‘wall pass’ to progress play - he wants them to be a real box presence.
Advert
When not in possession, he likes his front three to lead an aggressive and compact high press.
Sancho, whilst best when he has some freedom to roam, is more than comfortable receiving on the touchline and has shown this throughout his career.
Over/underlapping runs made by Diogo Dalot (often underlapping due to his ‘inverted’ role) and recently McTominay provide Sancho with quick, dynamic options to make a pass.
Advert
If he does not make the pass, their runs have still dragged a defender and Sancho has space to move inside where he is at his devastating best.
McTominay is not so adept at disrupting opposition shape with his movement and positioning, and it is possible that we see Christian Eriksen played in this role with his crossing ability providing United with another offensive threat.
Anthony Martial has also often been seen drifting to the right to provide the Englishman an option to link up with.
Rashford is not as comfortable as Sancho at receiving wide. Sancho is a more technically secure player with more natural angles to his game, and despite his playmaking efforts in the side, Rashford remains at his best as an outlet, using his pace to stretch defences.
Rashford does, however, have an excellent relationship with Luke Shaw, when both are at their best they're pivotal to United’s offensive play. He has performed very well when paired with Tyrell Malacia too so far.
Whilst touchline winger isn’t Rashford’s bread and butter, he looks to be finding his best form off the ball again which has been evident in his two goals this pre-season.
Rashford when running from out-to-in can be truly devastating and being under the management of Ten Hag, he could find his perfect role.
He has showcased great skill in possession over the years too, with his work in the build up to Sancho’s goal being an example of this, and Ten Hag helping him to refining his decision making could bring United their best Marcus Rashford yet, which is a damn good footballer.
Now time for Anthony Martial. Maybe the footballer who’s success at the club would be most meaningful, it’s been a rollercoaster with the number nine.
When your debut goal is scored against Liverpool in front of the Stretford End, you’ll forever go down in United folklore no matter what.
Martial has been a polarising figure amongst fans because he is so naturally gifted, more so than almost any of United’s current squad, yet at the same time, he has been so flawed.
Poor coaching, mismanagement, mistreatment and personal issues have all gotten in the way of Martial’s United career and just weeks ago it looked like it was over.
But Cristiano Ronaldo’s desire to depart threw the Frenchman a lifeline, one final chance. Yet ironically, it looks to be his best chance yet.
Martial’s quality in possession cannot be doubted, it makes him one of the most unique centre forwards in world football. His work out of possession, however, has been poor for a while and last season he seemed to lose all sense of speed and intensity.
Yet this tour, he looks faster than he has since his debut season in 2015-16 and is playing with greater intensity than ever seen before.
His pressing has been very good, and his movement looks improved. He is running the channels more than ever before, as well as doing better to occupy the box and pounce on loose balls, like for his goal against Melbourne.
Whilst he could add some more micro-movements to his game to further improve this, it is a process. But Martial looks to be adjusting well to Erik ten Hag’s highly-specific demands and deserves to be given his chance to further prove himself across the season.
Sancho has consistently been one of the best pressers in United’s squad, Rashford was quite poor at it but has looked to be putting in far greater effort defensively under the Dutchman.
The three players are each working hard individually both on and off the pitch, trying to rediscover their best selves. Collectively, this and their willingness to buy into Ten Hag’s plan has helped them to perform so well together so far.
In possession, they have complemented each other excellently with clever off the ball movement and positioning to provide each other with passing and linkup options.
Martial and Rashford’s almost telepathic connection on the pitch has been evident for a few years, and Sancho is one of the best link-up footballers in the world and maybe United’s most intelligent player.
The fact that they seem to be good friends with each other off the pitch only seeks to enhance this collective feeling they have about them right now. They almost seem to come as a package deal.
This upcoming season is not going to be an easy one, even though pre-season has painted a different picture. It is, however, a season to take chances, and this front three has worked very well so far. So give them their chance.
Topics: Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Cristiano Ronaldo, Football, Premier League
Yusuf Haq