Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has been criticised for not using Anthony Martial as a striker, but is he more effective on the wing? The statistics throw up some interesting results… Anthony Martial has been one of the most talked-about players in the Premier League since Manchester United made him the most expensive teenager in football history on the final day of the summer transfer window. Kaka Brazil Jersey .At first, the discussion centred on how the little-known Frenchman could possibly justify a transfer fee that could reportedly rise as high as £61.5m. Louis van Gaal and the player himself called it crazy money, and many observers saw it as a desperate move by United after missing out on bigger names. Martial, though, didnt take long to silence his doubters. He marked his Premier League debut by coming off the bench to score an unforgettable solo goal in a 3-1 win over Liverpool on September 12, and a week later netted a clinical brace in a 3-2 victory over Southampton at St Marys Stadium.Suddenly, the crazy transfer fee looked like a shrewd piece of business for a side desperately lacking spark in the final third. Martials emergence has been one of few bright spots in Uniteds disappointing season, and with the 20-year-olds talent no longer up for debate, the discussion has turned to where exactly he is at his most effective.Van Gaal has provoked the ire of many Manchester United supporters by fielding Martial on the left flank for much of the campaign. The frustration is understandable. The former Monaco man is routinely their most threatening attacking player, after all, and with seven Premier League goals he is also joint-top of their scoring charts. Anthony Martial scores for Manchester United against Stoke in February So is Martial wasted out wide? Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry is among the leading voices to have said so, but Van Gaal has refused to bow to external pressure. The United boss has explained his stance by saying he puts the teams needs before those of any individual, but he might have been better off pointing to the stats. Anthony Martial comparison - Premier League 2015/16 PL 2015/16 Martial starting as striker Martial starting out wide Starts 9 13 Goals 2 4 Assists 1 2 Total shots per 90 mins 1.7 1.9 Shots on target per 90 mins 0.6 0.7 Chances created per 90 mins 1.1 1.2 Succ. dribbles per 90 mins 2.3 2.8 Touches per 90 mins 45.2 50.9 According to Opta, Martial has begun nine Premier League games as a striker and 13 out wide, and the stats show his starts on the flanks have been more productive in all attacking departments. There, Martial has averaged more goals, more assists, more shots, more chances created and more dribbles per 90 minutes than he has up front. Is Europa hangover real? Does playing in the competition affect a clubs domestic form? His two-goal performance against Southampton in September was an early indication of just how devastating he can be through the middle, but eight Premier League starts as a striker since have yielded no goals and only a single assist. Even more damningly, Martial has only mustered one shot on target in his last five starts up front combined. In those 450 minutes, the Red Devils claimed just two points and only managed to score twice. Anthony Martials last five starts as a striker - Premier League 2015/16 Opponent Result Mins played Goals Assists Shots on target Leicester City D 1-1 90 0 0 0 West Ham D 0-0 90 0 0 0 Bournemouth L 1-2 90 0 0 0 Stoke City L 0-2 90 0 0 1 Southampton L 0-1 90 0 0 0 It is equally significant that Uniteds results have been notably better with Martial stationed out wide. With the Frenchman starting through the middle, they have recorded three wins, two draws and four defeats, giving them an average of just 1.22 points per game. With Martial on the flank, however, their record of five wins, five draws and three defeats equates to 1.54 points per game. Manchester United with Martial starting up front v starting out wide - Premier League 2015/16 Manchester United Played Won Drawn Lost Points per game With Martial starting as striker 9 3 2 3 1.22 With Martial starting out wide 13 5 5 3 1.54 In the continued absence of the injured Wayne Rooney, it remains to be seen whether Van Gaal will keep faith with youngster Marcus Rashford or opt for Martial to lead the line in Uniteds Europa League return-leg with Liverpool and the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium on Super Sunday. United need Rooney back Wayne Rooneys return will boost United for the final stretch of the season, says Denis Law. But with the stats in mind, perhaps it wouldnt be too much of a surprise to see Martial finish the season on the flank. And for a reminder of what he can do when cutting in from the left, you only have to cast your mind back to the last time Liverpool visited Old Trafford… Martial scored on his United debut against Liverpool Also See: Rooney eyeing April return Pallister: Fans will be crucial Marquinhos Brazil Jersey . Particularly when speaking in the stadium of Tuesdays opponent: Manchester City. "Maybe they dont fear us as before," Pique said on Monday, "because in the last two years we didnt win the Champions League. Fernandinho Jersey . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. http://www.brazilsoccerproshop.com/c-22-hulk-brazil-jersey.aspx . Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane came up big when it counted, tallying two goals and an assist. He scored the game-winner with 4:45 remaining in the third period, stopping on the right hashmarks, carrying the puck up through the top of the Kings zone, then firing a wrist shot from the top of the circles past Jonathan Quick, who had his view obstructed by Andrew Shaw.TORONTO - Centre Greg McKegg scored twice and goalie Christopher Gibson made 31 saves to lead the Toronto Marlies over the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 4-1 in American Hockey League action on Sunday. Sam Carrick and Jerry DAmigo, with an empty-netter, also scored as part of a three-goal third period that broke the game open for Toronto. Josh Leivo, Spencer Aboott and Jerrod Smithson collected two assists apiece in front of an announced crowd of 6,399 at Ricoh Coliseum. The Marlies won their second consecutive game to improve to 36-19-5 and bolster their first-place standing in the North Division. Justin Courtnall had the lone goal for the Bulldogs, who lost for the fifth time in six games to drop to 26-30-5. Bulldogs netminder Robert Mayer made 21 saves in a losing effort. The game was tied 1-1 after the first period and stayed that way through 40 minutes. A turnover by the Marlies in the defensive zone led to the games openning goal. David Luiz Brazil Jersey. Bulldogs centre Joonas Nattinen corralled the loose puck in the corner and passed off to Courtnall, who curled into the slot and beat a screened Gibson with a backhander at 11:36. The Marlies tied the game less than two minutes later when Leivo threaded a pass through the crease to McKegg, who lifted the puck into the gaping net for a power-play goal at 13:14. After a scoreless second period, Carrick gave the Marlies a 2-1 edge when he beat Mayer low to the stick side with a wrist shot from the slot at 6:08 of the third period. McKegg put Toronto up by a pair when he buried a rebound from the slot at 11:17. DAmigo closed out the scoring with an empty-netter at 18:30 Hamilton was 0-for-2 on the power play while Toronto went 1-for-2 with the man advantage. The Marlies and Bulldogs are off until Wednesday, when Toronto visits the Lake Erie Monsters and Hamilton hosts the Abbotsford Heat. Black China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL T-shirts Cheap NFL T-shirts Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap NFL Jerseys Camo ' ' '