Wayne Rooney had to Google me before I arrived at Manchester United... but he knows who I am now, says Anthony Martial
- Anthony Martial is set to start for Manchester United in the FA Cup final
- Only Crystal Palace stand in the way of Martial winning a first trophy
- Martial says he is aware of Wayne Rooney having to Google him in summer
- Frenchman says he hopes to become an icon at Old Trafford in time
- Martial disputes Paul Scholes' comments about him not enjoying scoring
It's
a sign of how far Anthony Martial had flown under the radar that Wayne
Rooney had to find out who he was when news emerged of Manchester
United's interest in the teenager last summer.
Rooney
approached Martial's French compatriot Morgan Schneiderlin for
information during United's flight back from Swansea in August, and
filled in the gaps on Google.
Nine
months on, everyone knows Martial. Sitting down at United's Carrington
training ground, very much part of the furniture and looking forward to
an FA Cup final in his first season in England, he smiles about the
Rooney tale.
Anthony Martial arrives with his Manchester United team-mates at their hotel in Wembley on Friday afternoon
The Frenchman (right) has proven many critics wrong with his impressive performances this season
Wayne Rooney (right) had to Google Martial before he arrived... but he certainly knows who he is now
'Well,
he knows me now doesn't he!' says Martial, aware that United's captain
was not the only one bemused by the club's decision to spend an initial
£36million on a relatively little known forward from France.
'I've heard that story. I guess it's pretty amusing,' he says. 'I don't know whether it's true but it doesn't bother me at all.
'It's
not a case of proving anything to other people. I don't pay too much
attention to that. I want to prove to myself that I can succeed.'
Many
questioned United's wisdom in allowing experienced strikers such as
Javier Hernandez, Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao to leave while
putting so much expectation on Martial's young shoulders.
The
deal with Monaco, which could rise to £58m, made him the most expensive
teenager in world football. He had moved there from Lyon only two years
earlier for £4.4m after four first-team appearances.
Martial,
shy off the pitch and remarkably calm on it, turned 20 only in December
and has taken it all in his stride. The final will be his 49th game of a
season in which he has scored 17 times.
Van Gaal arriving at the team hotel not far from Wembley ahead of the FA Cup final
Martial speaks to Sportsmail ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final; he is confident about United's chances
The United squad were in high spirits as they trained on Thursday ahead of the weekend's game
That
total includes a dramatic late winner in the semi-final against Everton
last month. Martial is the man Crystal Palace will fear most on his
return to Wembley on Saturday.
'I
didn't try to put too much pressure on myself,' he says. 'Obviously,
people mention the price tag but I just came here to do my best. What
helped was that I'd already gone through quite an expensive transfer in
the past when I moved from Lyon to Monaco.
'I just tried to remain true to who I am as a person. I've always been quite calm and relaxed, and had confidence in my ability.
'Things have gone relatively well but I feel deep down I could have done better. I hope things will go even better next season.'
Even
for a player renowned for his speed, Martial has adapted incredibly
quickly. He scored four goals in his first four games — including a
brilliant effort on his debut against Liverpool at Old Trafford in
September. It is, he says without hesitation, still his favourite.
Martial (centre) adapted very quickly to the English game; he scored four times in his first four games
The Frenchman wheels away in celebration after scoring against Everton in United's previous trip to Wembley
'It
just couldn't have been a better way to start. From being a kid I'd
dreamed of playing at Old Trafford and to score in my first game in such
a way against United's biggest rival — it couldn't have turned out
better.
'It
freed me up and helped me settle in. I drew a lot of confidence from
scoring. Fortunately, things started to go well from that moment and I
kept scoring regularly.'
And
it's not just goals. His assists are also vital to Louis van Gaal's
side, terrorising defences down the left with quick feet and devastating
acceleration.
Martial
prefers to play through the middle but his versatility has drawn
comparisons to Thierry Henry, who graduated from the same Paris-based
club, CO Les Ulis. So, too, the cool demeanour and clinical eye for
goal. Paul Scholes has gone so far as to say Martial doesn't 'look
bothered' if he scores.
'I'd
heard that,' he says. 'Not happy when I score? Scoring makes me
happiest because it's what it's all about. I'm really happy inside but
I'm not a guy who shows that sort of emotion on the outside too much.'
Martial prefers to play through the middle but has terrorised defences down the left with his pace this season
Manchester United's first-team squad and staff headed for London on the train on Friday afternoon
Now
an integral part of France's squad for Euro 2016, Martial has been
linked with a return to Paris Saint-Germain but insists he is happy in
Manchester. The fans have taken to him, even though it is too early to
bestow the legendary status enjoyed by another famous Frenchman.
Eric
Cantona scored the winner to beat Liverpool in the 1996 final and
Martial would gladly settle for a similar outcome against Palace.
'I
love Manchester and see myself being here for a good while yet,' he
says. 'If I was to become an icon I'd be very happy but you can't
possibly say at this stage. It depends how I play, how many goals I
score and how I perform in the years to come.
'I'll
need to score a lot of goals and the team will need to pick up
trophies. We're going to do everything we can to bring the FA Cup back
to Manchester.'
Playmaker Juan Mata will be hoping to erase memories of a difficult season with a piece of silverware
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