Alexis Sanchez vs Anthony Martial: Which one should Manchester United let go?

Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial are two players struggling to fit in at Manchester United. Both players were met with great excitement and optimism when they joined, but have majorly flattered to deceive. And after another season of disappointment in 2018/19, where do they go from here?

When you don two of the most prestigious shirt numbers ever worn at the club, there is a natural expectation for you to do well. However, the levels of performance from Sanchez and Martial don’t warrant being talked about in the same breath as United greats of the past.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is going to want to have a clear out this summer and I very much doubt that the Norwegian will be particularly fussed about keeping either of them.

Anthony Martial

Anthony Martial infuriates me more than anything. From the minute he arrived, you could tell he had so much ability and potential to unlock. However, the 2015/16 campaign, his first in a United shirt, still remains his best one. He scored 17 goals and registered four assists in all competitions, but hasn’t been able to better that since.

That sums Martial up for me. I always come away wanting more from him. More runs in behind, can he be more ruthless in the box and he needs to bring a lot more energy.

It’s as if he doesn’t care. His lack of effort and enjoyment playing for the club comes across in most performances. And against Everton, he was a disgrace. Giving the ball away from a corner led to Everton breaking upfield, a counter-attack they eventually scored from. At not one moment did Martial try to sprint back in order to retrieve the ball.

You would think you’d see an improvement over the next week or two, but it appears not. This footage from the weekend shows exactly why Martial is not going to get on at Manchester United, especially with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the helm.

Solskjaer wants to get fans off their seats and play fast, high energy, counter-attacking football. ‘Anthony Martial’ and ‘high energy’ are two things which will never go together. In fact, the Frenchman covers the lowest average distance per 90 minutes in the Premier League than any other forward, with 8.4km.

Alexis Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez‘s problems at Manchester United do not stem from a lack of effort. The Chilean proved once again in his cameo on Sunday that he is willing to fight and work for his place. You get the impression everyone is willing him to do well too, with the crowd roaring at every sprint and tackle he made.

The stats below prove this as well. Out of the current Manchester United players, Sanchez is in the top 10 for average distance in kilometres covered per 90 minutes and second behind Marcus Rashford for most sprints per game too.

But, unfortunately, Sanchez is just so low on confidence right now. Every touch, pass, rare shot that he has is being scrutinised by fans, pundits and the rest of the media.

Similarly to David de Gea, I feel he needs a break. Firstly, he needs the summer to clear his head and take his mind off football. Then, when he returns to preseason he must get himself fit specifically for Ole’s way of playing.

Further problems like Ander Herrera‘s contract could develop if the former-Arsenal forward’s wages aren’t reduced, which is unlikely, or if he doesn’t leave.

Verdict

It’s time to cash in on Martial. He hasn’t proved a success in four seasons with the club and is demonstrating completely the wrong attitude to play for the club.

Sanchez poses a more difficult solution as ideally, I’d like him to stay and show what he did at Arsenal year after year. Let’s not forget, alongside Eden Hazard and Sergio Aguero you would have regarded him as one of the Premier League’s best players a couple of years ago. But, I don’t really see how he can stay with the issue surrounding the wage structure.