If one thing has been consistent about Manchester United this season it has been Erik ten Hag's defence of Anthony Martial.
Even though the Frenchman has seen more of the Carrington treatment room than the Old Trafford playing surface this term, Ten Hag has consistently backed the forward. He is a huge fan of Martial's qualities and that was apparent right from the very start of pre-season almost 12 months ago.
Martial enjoyed a successful pre-season campaign after a forgettable loan spell at Sevilla in the second half of last season, scoring three goals in Thailand and Australia. Had it not been for a hamstring injury that he suffered in the days leading up to the season opener against Brighton he would have started and led the Reds' attack.
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That hamstring injury was, of course, the first of several small injury complaints that the versatile attacker has had to contend with this season. They have restricted him to 27 appearances in all competitions, only 19 of which have come in the Premier League.
But despite experiencing a significant reduction in game time in comparison to what he would have liked, Ten Hag has remained a staunch supporter of Martial. He has frequently lauded him throughout the campaign when he has been fit and he admitted ahead of last month's 2-2 draw with Sevilla at Old Trafford that the Reds play their "best football" when he is on the pitch.
"You say I defended him but I just point to the stats, the stats tell you the moment he's on the pitch, the time he needs for a goal is really less," said Ten Hag, speaking in his pre-match press conference. "When he is in the team, I refer to games against Man City and Liverpool, we play our best football and have the best results as a team.
"I see how he contributes to this team."
It was an admission Martial backed up himself just over 24 hours later, producing a polished display in the aforementioned clash with Sevilla. He grabbed an assist for one of Marcel Sabitzer's two goals and he was almost unplayable before being withdrawn after 62 minutes.
And that is the issue that remains Martial's biggest stumbling block: he cannot complete a full 90 minutes. He has not finished a game that he has started this season and he last completed a full 90 minutes for United in September 2021.
Despite that lingering issue, Ten Hag continues to persevere with him and not without good reason. Generally, he has played well when he has been fit and his tally of eight goals and three assists is fairly respectable for a player that has suffered with injuries throughout the campaign.
It was harsh on Martial when he was taken off with more than half an hour left against Bournemouth on Saturday, though. He had offered the most promise of United's starting attackers, yet it was him that Ten Hag withdrew first, throwing Wout Weghorst on in his place after 57 minutes.
With two league games left before the FA Cup final, starting against Chelsea tomorrow night, Martial will no doubt be feeling that he has two auditions left to try and bag a starting berth at Wembley on June 3. He started the semi-final against Brighton and will be hoping to retain his place.
But with both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho hoping to start on the left-wing, something has got to give. Does Rashford move into the centre, opening the door for Garnacho to start in his preferred position, or does Ten Hag hold the youngster back, giving Martial the No.9 berth and handing Rashford a start on the left-wing?
Considering it seems unlikely that Rashford and Garnacho will both start against Chelsea, it could be Martial's golden opportunity to lay down the gauntlet ahead of the trip to Wembley. The Frenchman has two goals in his last three Premier League appearances at Old Trafford and the prospect of going up against a broken Chelsea side feels like a golden opportunity for him to add to his tally, especially on a night where the crowd is expected to drive United over the line and back into the Champions League.
United, despite Ten Hag's fondness of Martial, remain open to selling the former AS Moncao man ahead of the summer, meaning he also has his M16 future to fight for. But in the here and now, a starting berth at Wembley should be the main thing on his mind.
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