Burnley manager Vincent Kompany has rubbished claims that Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez is too small to thrive in English football.
Kompany has made the admission ahead of his side, who currently sit at the top of the Championship table, visiting Old Trafford in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening. Martinez will play no part in the fixture after Argentina's win over France in Sunday's World Cup final in Qatar.
The Argentina international joined United during the summer transfer window from Ajax, following in the footsteps of Erik ten Hag, who had swapped Amsterdam for Manchester a couple of months earlier. The Reds invested more than £50million in Martinez's signature, such was Ten Hag's determination to be reunited with him.
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He had excelled as a ball-playing centre-back in the Netherlands and Ten Hag was adamant that he would suit his system at Old Trafford. However, concerns were raised about Martinez's suitability for the Premier League because of his 5ft 9in frame.
Despite facing criticism and being questioned, he has excelled at United since joining the club in July, becoming a stalwart figure in Ten Hag's plans. And for Clarets boss Kompany, who spent 11 successful years at Manchester City, Martinez has unique traits that make life difficult for anyone facing him.
"No, of course he's not too small, no way," Kompany told ESPN. "I watched him as I was there when Ajax played Dortmund at the Johan Cruyff Arena [in the Champions League last season].
"I think Ajax won 4-0 that day and then obviously Dortmund, [Erling] Haaland was a player there and if you look, it was both; it was [Jurrien] Timber, I think, and Martinez, both very small. But if you have a high line and you think early, you work early, on crosses, you jump early, that mobility can give you an advantage, believe it or not.
"There are not many players who would like to play against Lisandro Martinez, but you do need to have, you do need to be extremely smart and fast thinking."
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