Rio Ferdinand points finger at Anthony Martial over two main mistakes at Man Utd

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes Anthony Martial became too predictable and was too inconsistent over the course of the last few seasons.

The Frenchman looks set to seal a loan move to Spanish giants Sevilla until the end of the season, after a Premier League campaign spent on the bench.

Martial perilously tumbled down the United pecking order under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, becoming stuck behind Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Edinson Cavani, and most recently, Anthony Elanga.

His eight minute cameo in United’s 1-0 victory over West Ham United was his first piece of Premier League action under Rangnick, and his first United appearance since their 3-2 home victory against Arsenal on December 2.

And Ferdinand believes Martial’s lack of variation and his inconsistency were behind his downfall at Old Trafford.

“When Martial gets the ball to feet he’s a threat to any defender, you can tell, you can see defenders are on edge when he gets the ball. When he runs at you he’s phenomenal,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five podcast.

“I just feel with Anthony Martial he didn’t move enough of the ball, he didn’t make runs in behind.

“But he’s quick! Sometimes you’ve got to vary the way you attack opponents and you can’t always want the ball to feet.

“I just feel he probably didn’t hurt defenders in behind as much as he could have, and he didn’t threaten in behind like he should have.”

“You look at Sadio Mane, Marcus Rashford sometimes when he plays off that left-hand side, Raheem Sterling, they don’t only just come to feet because for a defender it becomes a lot easier to read.

“You have to vary the point of attack and I don’t think he