LONDON: He started the season derided as an expensive panic buy, but Anthony Martial goes into Saturday’s FA Cup final against Crystal Palace as the potential savior of Manchester United’s season. The French forward’s deadline-day move from Monaco, at an initial cost of £36 million ($52.6 million, 47 million euros), rising to £58 million, sparked incredulity on both sides of the Channel. United captain Wayne Rooney had to ask Morgan Schneiderlin, Martial’s France team-mate, who the club’s star signing was. British tabloid The Sun rechristened the club “MADchester United”, while French sports daily L’Equipe asked: “Where is the sense in the transfer market when an uncapped 19-year-old kid, who has scored 11 goals in 52 games, costs as much as Zidane at his peak?” United manager Louis van Gaal made a point of emphasizing Martial’s “great potential” and said that it would be his successor in the dug-out, rather than the Dutchman himself, who would see the best of the young forward. Martial, however, was in no mood to take his time and made the first repayment on his huge fee with a wonderful solo goal against Liverpool just 21 minutes after coming off the bench to make his debut….