Anthony Martial has revealed his increased fitness levels have helped take his game to its highest level.
The French striker has been criticised in the past for a languid approach which has impacted on his effectiveness as a team player.
But after chats with boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the 24-year-old is now, fitter, stronger - and Manchester United's first line of defence.
“My job, or aim is to score goals. Then when I don’t have the ball it’s to be the first defender, meaning I have to press and close down” says Martial.
“It’s something we work on in training and we’ve also worked hard on my fitness too, I’ve put in some great work with the coaching staff.
“Now I just want to make sure I continue in the same vein in order to be even better for next season.”
Martial won an intense personal race with strike partner Marcus Rashford to be United's top scorer last season with 23 goals to the England star's 22.
But he says their rivalry is 'healthy competition' – and never comes before the good of the team.
“It doesn't drive us on, not especially. Because we just try to help each other out” Martial told Inside United, the official Manchester United magazine.
“For example, there are some games where maybe a shot is on and then I decide to wait and see, and I give him the ball because I want him to score.
“And he does the same thing for me, so you see, we’re not just focussed on scoring all the time. We’re always going to do everything we can for the team to win.
“Which means that if he is better placed than me or I’m in a better position than him, we’ll always give each other the ball in order to score.
“I think it’s that which means… there is a healthy competition there, but the biggest thing is the positive rapport that we have with one another, which is like that.”
Martial forms a lethal attacking spearhead with Rashford and teenager Mason Greenwood , with the French star full of praise for the 18-year-old newcomer who scored 18 goals in his debut season as a first teamer.
“The thing that strikes me about Mason is how effective and clinical he is. I get the feeling that whenever he shoots on goal, he scores!
“They are two really good players. It’s up to us to keep training hard and working to perfect how that trio works together.
“We mustn’t forget either that there are other players on the side lines who are pushing really hard to get a game. We need keep going and have to perform well in order to be able to play and win our games.”
**The September issue of Inside United magazine, featuring the exclusive interview with Anthony Martial, is on sale from Tuesday 25 August.
