Top contenders for the Manchester United Player of the Year: January 2019

#1 Anthony Martial

Cardiff City v Manchester United - Premier League

The only player who has been consistently good even in midst of the managerial turmoil at Old Trafford has been Anthony Martial. The Frenchman was the silver lining as Jose Mourinho's season turned sour and United went from bad to worse under the Portuguese. Martial broke the shackles and delivered when Manchester United needed him the most, powering the club through the rough patches and ensuring that the games were still watchable under the Portuguese.

The Frenchman's start to the season was obnoxious, as he failed to get a regular run into the team. However, as the big names failed to make a mark, Mourinho was forced to turn to his young star and Martial delivered like only Martial can.

He went on a 5 game scoring spree, from the start of October to mid-November, where he found the back of the net 6 times in a row. United won 4, drew 1 and lost 1 of those games, as Martial carried the team on his shoulders. It was not just his goals, but the manner in which he scored them that made him so reliable. He was the only player who had the trust of all the United fans of the world.

However, Mourinho's fickle team selections hurt the Frenchman, something that has changed under Solskjaer. The Frenchman now has the full trust of his manager, who wants him to run at the defenses at will and Martial is a part of a seriously good United front three who excite fans and scare the opposition in equal measure. The Frenchman has already scored 9 goals from 22 appearances this season.

At the start of January, Martial is the No. 1 contender for the Manchester United Player of the Year Award. It will be no surprise if the Frenchman goes on to win the coveted award come May.