Gary Neville once claimed that Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford had the “talent and ability” to rival Liverpool’s famed front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.
Salah, Firmino and Mane enjoyed great success in their five seasons together at Anfield, helping Liverpool win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup. And Neville suggested in 2020 that Manchester United had a trio in Martial, Greenwood and Rashford that could rival Liverpool’s.
Speaking on the Gary Neville podcast, he claimed: “Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are matured, they are established, they are the real deal – the best front three in the Premier League.
“I was saying that even when Manchester City were winning the league. The three that United have got are not at the level of Liverpool’s front three yet, you wouldn’t expect them to be, but they have the talent and ability.
“There were questions whether Rashford was good enough, whether Martial was good enough and Greenwood hadn’t obviously emerged back then, but they are proving they are good enough, that they can play and that they will get better.
“The Liverpool front three are ahead, but it is exciting for Manchester United. If you believe in young players and give them opportunities in the positions they want to play in, you will be amazed what you can achieve.”
However, things have not worked out that way at all, with the 2019-20 season the last time Martial has scored more than six Premier League goals in a single campaign. The Frenchman has only managed just one goal so far this season and is expected to leave the club on a free transfer this summer.
Greenwood, meanwhile, is currently out on loan at Getafe and does not appear to have a future at United despite the club’s new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe stating a decision will be made about the forward at the end of the season.
Rashford, though, remains a key player at Old Trafford and earned a bumper new five-year deal last summer after enjoying a prolific campaign. However, his form has dropped off this season and the 26-year-old found himself in hot water with manager Erik ten Hag after he enjoyed a night out in Belfast shortly before missing United’s FA Cup clash with Newport.
He was subsequently fined two weeks’ wages, but has continued to start regularly after United said in a statement that Rashford had “taken responsibility for his actions” and that they considered the matter “closed”.
