Erik ten Hag explains how Anthony Martial improved Manchester United vs Liverpool

Erik ten Hag has praised Manchester United's Anthony Martial for his performance at centre-forward against Liverpool.

Jadon Sancho opened the scoring on Monday night and that composed strike meant United led 1-0 at the break. Anthony Elanga was substituted for Anthony Martial during the interval and the Frenchman made an immediate impact from the bench.

Ten Hag asked Martial to play at centre-forward and he looked dangerous in that position. Martial leading the Reds' attack also gave Marcus Rashford the opportunity to play on the left wing, which proved to be a masterstroke from Ten Hag.

ALSO READ: What happened as Man United fans protested against the Glazers before Liverpool

That's because shortly after half-time, Martial expertly provided Rashford with a through ball to extend United's advantage.

Ten Hag praised Martial's performance on MUTV after the win and lauded his ability to effectively play at centre-forward.

"With him [Martial], he wasn't available for 90 minutes after his injury, but he gives on the ball a way out for the team," Ten Hag said. "He can be a target, he knows the right positions and he has the skills to play through. We saw that with the second goal.

"It was the right moment to bring him on the pitch."

READ MORE: