As featured on NewsNow: Football news

​Berbatov challenges Man Utd striker Martial to reach Messi, Ronaldo level

Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov wants to see Anthony Martial emulate the very best in the game.

The Frenchman was excellent for United last season, having grabbed 23 goals across all competitions.

But Berbatov wants to see even more consistency from the striker.

"I saw some comments from [Paul] Scholes and he was critical of Anthony Martial, and my opinion of Martial is well known now," ex-United frontman Berbatov told Betfair.

"He may never be the out and out No 9, he prefers to come in from the wing, doing his tricks, and drawing fouls.

"The only criticism is that he isn't as consistent as he could be. He isn't brilliant in every game, and until he is consistent, it is hard to describe him as world class.

"It's what separates the good players from the great ones. You look at Ronaldo and Messi, they scored lots of goals every season for 10 years. When you're at a big club, and you don't perform consistently, you will have critics.

"We must remember, Martial is playing with 10 men around him, so it isn't just him underperforming. It can be difficult for the type of player that Martial is to stand out when he isn't getting the support from around his team, and the poor team performance will make him look worse."

Video of the day:

About the author

Ansser Sadiq

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free