Anthony Martial decision will prove if Manchester United really have changed

Disappointed, but not surprised. That was the feeling of many Manchester United fans last night when news emerged that Anthony Martial would miss the FA Cup final this weekend.

The French forward suffered an unfortunate hamstring strain in the final league match of the season against Fulham, the latest setback that has summed up his misfortune at the club.

It marks Martial's sixth injury just this season. He hasn’t completed 90 minutes in the Premier League since January 2021, and even if he had been fit for Saturday's battle with Man City, there would have been little expectation he'd have played the majority of it.

Read next: Ten Hag's new target is exactly what the club need

That in itself is a fitting summary of his recent years at Old Trafford. At the age of 27, there is still a train of thought that the best is yet to come from the striker, but the brutal reality is that he is now in his eighth season at the club and highly unlikely to ever push on.

It also highlights how reluctant United have been to make ruthless squad decisions, given that they have persisted with Martial when any other elite team would have cut him loose years ago.

Erik ten Hag admitted just last month that despte his poor injury record the striker could still have a future at the club, and insisted that the team are better when he is on the pitch.

“It’s difficult to say because the history says different,” he said. “I want him to be because he’s a great player – he definitely has the qualities to play in top football – and when he is fit our team plays better.

“I think he can play across the front. For me, he’s best at centre-forward, but he can play in the wide position as well.”

Untied's problem is that those moments of fitness are growing