Martial replaces Rooney as the main man at Old Trafford: The best & worst of Man United's season so far

Martial replaces Rooney as the main man at Old Trafford: The best & worst of Man United's season so far
Louis van Gaal has come in for criticism this season despite his side being handily placed and his big summer signing from Monaco having made an instant impact
Since first arriving at Old Trafford in the summer of 2014, Louis van Gaal has spoken long and loud about the need to impress his philosophy upon Manchester United and recruit his own team in order to get the best results possible.

So far this season the signs have suggested that the Dutchman is finally beginning to fashion the United side he had in mind when taking the job, but the style of play hasn't been completely convincing. Results have come largely at the cost of excitement, with fans regularly being heard calling for a more attacking style of play.

However, there have been a number of factors behind both the consistency of results and the inability to find their most fluid footing.

The signing and emergence of Anthony Martial have given United an outlet of real quality. After scoring on his debut against Liverpool as a substitute he went on to score a match-winning double at Southampton and net once again in the League Cup win over Ipswich.

While he has only scored one more goal since his early flurry, it was a vital one in the Champions League draw at CSKA Moscow, he has largely been playing on the left of the attack. Despite being relocated in the starting lineup he has continued to represent United's biggest weapon, with Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew admitting he approached the recent 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park with a "Stop Martial, and you stop United" game plan.

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