Manchester United attacker leaves training after just 4 minutes as teammates prepare for crunch Brighton clash
Manchester United forward Anthony Martial was spotted leaving training after just four minutes with his side set to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday (September 16).
According to the Daily Mail, Martial left Carrington training ground on Thursday morning. He was seen arriving at the training facility in his Mercedes G Wagon at 8:55 am but then pictured leaving at 8:59 am.
It remains to be seen the reason for Martial's swift departure, but the Frenchman has endured injury issues recently.
The 27-year-old missed Manchester United's entire pre-season due to fitness problems. He returned to training at the start of the new campaign and made the bench for the opening 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Martial has since played in all three of the Red Devils' following games and started in the 3-1 defeat at Arsenal on September 3. The Frenchman was replaced by new signing Rasmus Hojlund who could be set to take his spot in Erik ten Hag's starting lineup.
The Red Devils face Brighton this weekend at Old Trafford looking to bounce back from their loss to the Gunners. They're 11th in the league, with two wins and two losses in four games.
Martial's future was uncertain during the summer, and Manchester United were willing to listen to offers for him. He has a year left in his contract and has been at the club since 2015.
Andy Cole takes aim at Anthony Martial for his poor goalscoring record at Manchester United
Manchester United's signing of Martial eight years ago was heralded by many, as he was tipped to become a future superstar. He scored a memorable debut goal against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
However, Martial has struggled to hit the heights anticipated, with many growing frustrated with his inconsistent form and fitness problems. He has managed 88 goals and 53 assists in 301 games for the Red Devils.
Andy Cole reckons the French striker hasn't been good enough from a goalscoring perspective. He alluded to his lack of goals despite being at the club for eight years:
“Martial has been at Manchester United for 8 years now, and he hasn't even scored 100 goals.
"It's incredible. He is a centre-forward at Manchester United, and he has played in some fantastic teams. His best performance in the league was 17 goals."
Martial has continued to be a prominent member of United's teams over the years despite his struggles. Cole thinks he's been given enough time to shine and has ultimately failed to:
"He’s had more than enough time and opportunity to show United just how good he is and he unfortunately hasn't been able to do so."
The Frenchman joined the Red Devils from AS Monaco in 2015 for £36 million. He was given comparisons to Arsenal icon Thierry Henry at the time, and his transfer even included a Ballon d'Or clause.
However, he's still yet to reach expectations in his eighth year with the club. Many expect Hojlund to take his spot in Ten Hag's team following his £72 million arrival from Atalanta.