There is no disputing the argument that Marcus Rashford has been Manchester United's best attacker this season. This campaign has turned into one of redemption for a player whose confidence had plummeted a year ago.
Rashford has scored 27 goals in 2022/23 and is producing 0.93 goal contributions (a goal or an assist) per 90 minutes. Those are numbers that would immediately elevate you to the bracket of world-class forwards.
So you would probably be surprised to hear that there is a player in Erik ten Hag's squad who is bettering that ratio, someone who is producing exactly one goal or assist every 90 minutes.
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That player is Anthony Martial and the caveat here is that he's had so many fitness issues this season that Rashford has played 2,561 minutes more than the Frenchman. Or more than 28 full 90-minute games, to put it another way.
Martial has to maintain that level he has produced in patches this season for a long, long time before he can truly earn comparisons with Rashford, but what he has achieved in his 718 minutes of football this season probably explains Ten Hag's defence of his record two weeks ago.
The 27-year-old had been in back training for a week and a half before the international break, but wasn't considered fit enough to be part of the matchday squad for either of the Europa League games against Real Betis, the Premier League fixture with Southampton or the FA Cup quarter-final win against Fulham.
Martial has missed 31 games this season through five separate absences, including hip, back, Achilles and hamstring problems. It is more than 18 months since he last completed 90 minutes for United and only of his 14 appearances this season has lasted longer than 72 minutes.
But asked on the eve of that Fulham game whether there comes a point that the striker has to stay fit for a period to prove he has a long-term future at Old Trafford, Ten Hag said: "I don't think it is the right moment to be the case."
He also backed Martial and his contribution to the team this season. "I believe in him, every time he is available he really contributes to the team performance, the level of the team is upgrading when he is available. We are working with him to get fit and be available."
Martial's form did tail off a little after the World Cup break but he was influencing games - when available - in the first half of the season. He came off the bench to score twice in the heavy defeat at the Etihad, came off the bench to score again in Nicosia and got the rapid equaliser against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup.
He came on at half-time against Liverpool at Old Trafford to set up Rashford for United's breakaway second and then created Antony's goal against Everton before limping off with an injury he appeared to sustain in the warm-up.
Ten Hag's assessment feels fair, that Martial has made United better when he is on the pitch. They also looked better in pre-season when he was leading the line. But the fact is he hasn't been on the pitch often enough and that is why Wout Weghorst has started 18 successive games since his loan move from Burnley.
After another two weeks to build his fitness Martial must surely be ready to contribute now. United could play another 19 games this season if they go the distance in the FA Cup and Europa League. Weghorst can't start all of them and Rashford won't contribute in all of them.
Ten Hag has faith in Martial to not only perform but get the best out of others as well. He needs to show those traits over the next two months, while also staying fit and available.
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