Kevin Kilbane believes that the Manchester United pairing of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial can get forty goals between them this season, after an excellent 4-0 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford.
Kev was in attendance with Nathan Murphy on Off The Ball's first day of live commentary of the Premier League season. It is the forward pairing that caught the eye in particular, though he was also taken with the performances of Harry Maguire and Daniel James.
"In the first half, too many times the ball was played into Martial or Rashford and there was a flick of the ball rather than retaining possession. As a striker, it's basic stuff to retain possession. In the first half they were too loose in possession and gave the ball away.
"In the second half, they were more solid at holding the ball. But what I noticed for the second and third goal for Manchester United, he was right in the middle of the goal, three or four yards out. Too often, Martial looks for a pullback or to go for a worldie.
"For Rashford's second goal, he got himself in a goalcoring position and got his goal. So, those two are potentially easily forty goals in a season - and that is what they have to deliver this season."
Kilbane was also impressed with the pace that Manchester United committed men forward to attacks against Chelsea, after a first-half performance where United were at less than their best.
"It was how quickly they broke against Chelsea [in the second half] as I don't think that they were doing that in the first.
"There were quick turnovers. Andreas Pereira got free on the right-hand side - they didn't have many players doing that in the first half."
It was a particular change in Anthony Martial's approach that caught Kilbane's eye, during a match that leaves United second in the Premier League.
"In the second half, we saw a different Manchester United. For the second goal, we saw Anthony Martial getting himself into the six-yard box, freed up in a good position, and he got his reward."
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