Chris Smalling and Anthony Martial have been Manchester United’s biggest breakthrough players this season.
Smalling has been solid at the back, helping Manchester United to 6 clean sheets this season; whilst Anthony Martial has been leading the front line, scoring 4 goals in 5 games.
Speaking to United Review, Smalling has spoken of Martial’s impact at United saying:
“If you could ask for a moment to announce yourself on the world stage, it would be in a massive game like Liverpool at home,”
“It was a great moment and a lot of people took notice of how well he dribbled at players, how direct he was and how he took his goal.”
“That’s something we’ve needed this season. He continued his good form by scoring twice at Southampton and again against Ipswich, so he’s enjoyed a great start to his United career.”
“In that snippet against Liverpool, you get a real idea of how he is. He is one who is very direct, he is willing to take on players and he is willing to take on that risk.”
“I think, in the final third, it is an area where you can take that risk because you can’t take it at the back. He looks a very sharp player.”
The English centre back has also stated his optimism for the remainder of the season, and is confident that the team can continue to progress and solidify their place at the top of the league:
“We have improved,”
“Last season’s start was disastrous and it didn’t give us a foothold to be able to challenge for anything.”
“We know that we have improved in this section of the season, and we now have to improve in each other section compared to last season and aim a lot higher.”
“Our aim is to be competitive in all of the competitions and to make sure that we finish higher in the Premier League than we did last season. If we keep this consistent run from the start, and can maintain that all the way through, then I don’t think anything is out of reach.”
“If you show that consistency then you will always be there or thereabouts. If you’re near the top by Christmas, you then want a strong finish and a bit of luck on your side as well.”
Coming in a close second last month, Chris Smalling hopes to once again be in the running for United’s Player of the Month award. In September he narrowly missed out on the award to Matteo Darmian. The defender has said:
“Yeah, I thought that was nice,”
“Obviously, you want to please the coaching staff here and you want to please the fans.”
“They are the two that I mainly concentrate on. If you listen to too many things then you can be up and down like a rollercoaster! The manager is the one who can improve you and, with the fans, if you keep them happy then you know that you are doing okay.”
“Matteo was a worthy winner. He has come into the club and he hasn’t needed any time to settle in. He has literally hit the ground running and that is full credit to him, to be able to adjust to a different league and a different culture.”
“He has improved the team in such a short space of time, so I think that makes him a very worthy winner. There’s a long way to go, but he’s made a good start.”
