Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has challenged Anthony Martial to fulfill his potential and become a 20-goal a season striker for Manchester United by scoring more tap-ins.
Martial signed a new five-year contract on Thursday, ending months of speculation about his future and tying him down to Old Trafford until 2024.
The 23-year-old had appeared on the verge of leaving United under Solskajer’s predecessor Jose Mourinho, who was willing to let him depart.
However, since Solskjaer’s arrival, Martial has become a key member of the first-team squad once again, scoring twice in six games.
The United caretaker wants more, however, and challenged Martial and his fellow striker Marcus Rashford to start ‘sniffing’ out ‘scruffy’ goals.
When asked if Martial could be a 20-goal a season striker, Solskjaer said: “Yeah, he has the capability but as I said here I’d like him to make a few more runs in behind because he doesn’t miss chances.”
“Hes’s a fantastic finisher. He needs to get more chances, you’ve got to read and sniff maybe [score] some scruffy goals at times.
“Him and Marcus score loads of ‘worldie’ goals but those tap-ins and making them runs could go a long way to do that.”
Martial has not previously reached the 20-goal mark in a single season, coming closest in his first year at United, scoring 17 during the 2015-16 season.
One former United player who build up his goal tally over a number years was Cristiano Ronaldo and Solskjaer believes the Portuguese is an example for Martial and Rashford to follow.
“Cristiano was the best,” Solskjaer said. “The way he’s changed to now, that’s part of any player.
“You’ve got to model yourself on someone and you’ve got to have more challenges ahead of you. For Marcus and Anthony, it is to score more simple tap-ins.”
