Erik ten Hag explains Anthony Martial incident after Man Utd striker stormed down tunnel
Erik ten Hag has confirmed that Anthony Martial initially angrily walked off the field through the tunnel after being substituted during Manchester United’s victory against Bournemouth. However, he later came back to the bench and joined his teammates.
After scoring in the previous weekend’s win against Wolves, Anthony Martial was given another starting opportunity on Saturday at the Vitality Stadium.
Manchester United had taken the lead in the first half with a remarkable acrobatic goal by Casemiro and were eager to secure a second goal to seal the game. However, Erik ten Hag decided to substitute Martial in the 60th minute, bringing in Wout Weghorst as his replacement.
As Martial’s number was displayed on the substitution board, he wore a perplexed expression on his face. He left the field slowly and made his way directly toward the tunnel.
When questioned about the incident after the match, Erik ten Hag promptly downplayed the situation and clarified that Anthony Martial had indeed returned to the dugout to observe the rest of the game. He provided this information in a conversation with talkSPORT.
“I think he played well, he returned to the bench, he’s OK,” ten Hag said.
“I think he just shot into the dressing room, I don’t know what you want to make from it.”
Manchester United is on the verge of securing a top-four finish, placing them ahead of their rivals, Liverpool. At the same time on Saturday afternoon, Jurgen Klopp’s team managed to secure a late draw against Aston Villa, keeping the competition for the top four spots alive.
However, United only requires one point from their remaining two matches to solidify their position in the Champions League for the upcoming season.
Their next match will be against Chelsea on Thursday, followed by a final game at Old Trafford against Fulham on the following Sunday.
Erik ten Hag explains Anthony Martial incident after Man Utd striker stormed down tunnel
