Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick explains what he told Anthony Martial before comeback

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Ralf Rangnick believes a conversation he had with Anthony Martial benefited the player on his return for Manchester United. Martial emerged for his first appearance since December 2 with the game goalless against West Ham and he performed brightly before he played in Edinson Cavani to tee up Marcus Rashford for a 93rd-minute winner.

United have rejected a loan offer from Sevilla for Martial, who informed Rangnick of his wish to leave last month, and Rangnick last week claimed the France international refused to be selected for the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.

Martial denied Rangnick's claim but the German did not backtrack in midweek. Rangnick named Martial on the bench in the 3-1 win at Brentford on Wednesday night and turned to the 26-year-old and Cavani in a double substitution that paid off against West Ham.

Martial was booed by a minority of supporters upon his introduction but impressed in a late cameo. "Since we last spoke one-and-a-half weeks ago, I told him it's about being professional until the very last day no matter how long he stays or when he leaves," Rangnick said. "It was good to have this conversation with him. "In the last two games, he was part of the squad and today he played a vital role in the goal that we scored.