Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke had drawn Cristiano Ronaldo comparison to Anthony Martial and urged the Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar to show patience with the Frenchman as the club's first-choice striker. Suggesting that Martial is slowly developing into a central striker, Yorke drew comparisons with Ronaldo and Thierry Henry both of whom started on a left-sided winger before moving to the forward role. Martial, 24, was made the club’s first-choice striker this season following the departure of Romelu Lukaku and has shown great progress in that role throughout the season. Bruno Fernandes Downplays Argument With Lindelof as Manchester United Loses to Sevilla by 2-1, Crashes Out of Europa League 2019-20 (Watch Video).

Martial enjoyed his best season with United in terms of scoring goals and netted 23 times this season after being returned his favoured No 9 shirt this season. But the forward’s lack of clinical touch and several misses, especially against Sevilla in the Europa League semi-final from which United were knocked out with a 2-1 defeat, have raised questions over Martial’s ability as an out-and-out striker. Barcelona to Sign Manchester United Target Donny Van De Beek After Ronald Koeman's Appointment.

United have also been urged to splash the cash on another central striker in this summer transfer window. But Yorke insists Solskjaer must have patience and given the 24-year-old enough time to complete his transition into the new position. “A number nine is a very unique position. It’s a very rare breed and it seems like it’s gone out of the game a bit,” Yorke told TalkSPORT Breakfast. "I never considered myself as a number nine. I developed my skills playing from the left wing to the right-wing and then found myself pretty much playing in that number nine position, but not really as a number nine.

Yorke, who won three Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy with United, said that the central striker’s role is the hardest in football. "It’s a specialist position and probably the hardest position you can play, with your back to goal and having to hold off defenders and make runs; you can only get better in that position if you play week-in, week-out. Look at the top goalscorers in the Premier League: Robbie Fowler, Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Andy Cole – those players only played just in that position,” he continued.

"Anthony Martial is like me, Thierry Henry, maybe Wayne Rooney and even Cristiano Ronaldo – starting on the wing, developing and improving their skills and then get to that number nine position. That’s what Martial is doing now. I think Martial will get better, but he needs to play in that position a lot more, He needs to learn his trade. These guys are in their early 20s, I didn’t play as a centre-forward until I was around 24 and if you look at Henry and those guys, they all get to that position around the same age."

The 48-year-old also urged Solskjaer to develop these youngsters into his mould. "Ole was a frontman himself, so he should know how to improve these players. And look at how many goals Martial has scored this year – he can only get better!"

United were knocked out of the Europa League semi-finals following the defeat to Sevilla and finished the season trophyless making it three successive seasons that have gone without winning a single trophy. United’s last trophy was the Europa League in 2016-17 under former manager Jose Mourinho.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 19, 2020 02:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).