Time is right for Martinez to join attack

LISANDRO Martinez will savour his sweetly struck goal at Anfield more than his deflected effort at Fulham, even if the latter proved to be a late match-winner.

- TYRONE MARSHALL

As the Argentine admitted afterward, it owed a fair bit to good fortune and a wicked deflection off Sasa Lukic.

At Anfield, it was a goal all of Martinez's own. His fierce left-footed shot crashed in off the bar to give the Reds an unexpected lead in a game they would eventually draw. Having scored one in his first 84 appearances for United, Martinez now has two goals in his last five matches. It could have been more too. He forced Jack Butland into a good save in the Europa League win against Rangers last week, and what is noticeable about all of those chances is that they are coming from open play rather than set-pieces, which is usually the route to goal for a central defender.

At Old Trafford last Thursday, he strode forward with the ball in that left-side channel and unleashed a long-range effort. Against Liverpool and Fulham, he was proactive in stepping in front of a forward to win the ball back and then continuing his run into the final third.