Louis van Gaal Labels Manchester United Title Challengers, Hails Anthony Martial

Manchester United chopped the gap behind Premier League leaders Manchester City to just two points with a 3-2 win at Southampton on Sunday, and manager Louis van Gaal was in bullish mood afterwards, insisting this squad is capable of challenging for the title.

“It's a fantastic result away at Southampton and I think we have made a statement that we shall compete for the title,” the Dutchman told the club’s official website, per Rory Brigstock-Barron of the MailOnline.

Van Gaal continued, explaining why he feels the Red Devils aren’t quite as far off as many would initially assess:

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What I am saying all the time is that we have to improve. But last year we were close enough to be the champions. I have said that we were very close last year. When you remember the match against Chelsea away, it was very close but we did not score at the time.

Scoring is the most important thing, you have seen that today, Southampton could have scored to go 2-0 up in the first 15 minutes but they didn't do it and then we scored. We were the better team after that.

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One of the key reasons for renewed hope at Old Trafford is the vibrant start to life made at United by Anthony Martial. Eyebrows were raised when the club splashed out £36 million to bring him in on the final day of the summer transfer window, per BBC Sport, but the former Monaco man has hit the ground running with three goals in three appearances for the club so far.

The 19-year-old's brace at St. Mary’s was key to the Red Devils’ victory, hauling his side back in front after falling 1-0 behind; it’s no surprise the travelling support chanted “what a waste of money” in jest.

But Van Gaal urged caution when running the rule over Martial’s scintillating start to life in the Premier League.

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“When you are that age you cannot expect consistency from a player,” said the Dutchman, per Sam Cunningham of the MailOnline. “Emotionally they shall have a lot of dips so that I expect also from him, but that is not a big problem for me. …Three matches in a row, score three goals. It is one in one—not bad.”

The early signs have been hugely encouraging when it comes to Martial. Despite his tender years, the teenager has already showcased a ruthlessness and composure in front of goal which only forwards at the very top level possess.

As noted by Sam Pilger of FourFourTwo, plenty of illustrious names have struggled to cope with expectations at Old Trafford previously:

Former Red Devils defender Gary Neville also paid tribute to the beginning Martial has made to life at United, but resisted hyping up the France international too much, per Sky Sports:

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Today [the first goal] was his first moment around the box. To be redundant in the game for 30 minutes and then show that composure and class at that moment says a lot about him.

It's a brilliant start. It's too early to say 'he's some player and he's going to be a great player' and all those things because anything can happen, but it's certainly the best possible start he could have had. He's made a big impression on all of us.

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Martial does seem to have added a dash of directness to a United team that was a little one-dimensional in the opening weeks of the season. He and Memphis Depay, 21, are scary players for opposition defenders to cope with, and in a team bristling with otherwise functional options, they both have significant roles to play, despite their tender years.

As noted by United writer OffsideLiam, the club now find themselves in the midst of a title race despite not starting the season too well at all:

It still seems as though it’ll be too early for this squad, though. As Van Gaal notes, young players like Martial and Depay will endure oscillations in form and when they’re fulfilling such a significant duty in the side, those inconsistencies will be costly when competing for the biggest prize. But the future is unquestionably bright.

Martial has shown all the requisite qualities to go on and be a world-class talent, most notably the temperament to deal with the pressures a lucrative transfer brings.

He has the attributes be at the forefront of a United title win one day, but for a squad that’s thinly spread in a lot of areas, the biggest prize is beyond them this season.