Still Following the Trawler

Anthony Martial, United's marquee signing of this summer, has now scored in all three of his domestic games, totaling four in four in all comps. Not bad for someone dubbed a ' Waste of Money ' by one of Britain's most respected (ahem) tabloids. Even more impressive when you consider he has now matched Radamel Falcao's tally for the entire 2014/15 season (via the Republik of Mancunia ): Anthony Martial (2015-16) Minutes: 225 Goals: 4 Minutes per goal: 56 Radamel Falcao (2014-15) Minutes: 1,497 Goals: 4 Minutes per goal: 374

GOAL  | David de Gea I still can't believe this man is playing in goal for us! After his collapsed move to Real Madrid on the penultimate day of the transfer window Big Dave began his reconciliation with the club that made him a superstar by signing a new deal and committing himself to another four years. The Liverpool game last Saturday had the potential to be a seriously tough test for a man who hadn't played a minute of competitive football all season, but thankfully Benteke and co. had a thoroughly uninspiring afternoon, giving de Gea a comfortable return to Old Trafford. Sunday's trip to St. Mary's could be another fairly quiet game for him with Southampton starting the season badly (five goals scored and three points in the first five games). DEFENCE  | Matteo Darmian, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind United's defence has been arguably our most consistent and best performing area of the pack this season - a far cry to the makeshift, inexperienced appe...

To pinch one of football’s most over-used clichés – this was truly a game of two halves. What promised to be an utterly dull, anti-climactic United vs. Liverpool encounter was transformed into something special thanks largely to a couple of stunning goals late in the game. Firstly there was Benteke’s ludicrous overhead kick that give’s Rooney’s 'Premier League Goal of the 20 Seasons' award-winning effort vs. City in 2011 a run for its money. However the real story of the afternoon was the final goal of the game that came only minutes after Liverpool’s Belgian striker gave them a glimpse of hope by taking the game to 2-1. In a substitute performance reminiscent of Kiko Macheda’s debut against Aston Villa six years ago, Anthony Martial introduced himself to the Old Trafford faithful with a fantastic solo effort – making a total fool of Martin Skrtl in the process – and sealed a 3-1 win in what turned out to be an excellent victory win over our old rivals, one helped largely to ...

GOAL  | Sergio Romero Still no conclusion in the LVG-De Gea-Real Madrid love triangle so that means  Romero will keep his place for the third successive game - leaving arguably the best 'keeper in the world sat in the stands...again. It's all getting a bit boring now isn't it? DEFENCE  | Matteo Darmian, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw No change to our defencive set-up as the manager admitted this morning that Jones and Rojo are still ill and lacking in match fitness respectively. MIDFIELD  | Juan Mata,  Bastian Schweinsteiger,   Adnan Januzaj,  Michael Carrick,    Memphis Depay In the same press-conference van Gaal discussed the possibility of granting Schweinsteiger his first start, with either Carrick or Schneiderlin the player to be sacrificed - for me, I reckon Carrick will keep his place. Januzaj deserves to go on a run of games now after decent performances against Villa and Brugge in mid-week; while  Mata and Depay seem c...

1. Memphis What a perfect performance from the new-boy. Two excellent goals ( he was unlucky not to get a hat-trick ), and he sealed the night with the vital cross that met the mop of Fellaini - a highly important goal that has enabled us to go into the second leg with a two goal cushion. United fans have been waiting for this sort of performance for a while. Not just from Memphis, who up until last night hadn't quite set Old Trafford alight with his skill and flair as we had hoped following his signing from PSV in July - however the sort of dominating performance from a young, gifted, passionate individual that we have been longing for since Ronaldo left in 2009. There is no point dwelling on the Di Maria saga any longer - that is all in the past - however for me the disappointment that it didn't go according to plan after his big-money move from Real last summer outshines the bitterness of his exit earlier this month. With Di Maria's arrival United had hoped for a return ...