Former England strikers Gary Lineker and Ian Wright praised Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez after he produced another excellent performance in Saturday's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
The Argentine, who has been exceptional since arriving from Ajax during the summer transfer window, helped United register their fourth win on the bounce in all competitions. After Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford had fired United into a two-goal lead, Erik ten Hag's side looked to be on course for a routine victory.
Casemiro's 70th-minute red card, however, changed the landscape of the game, with Palace pulling a goal back through Jeffrey Schlupp's excellent finish six minutes later. After pulling one back, the Londoners went in pursuit of an equaliser, only to find Martinez in the way of almost everything.
READ MORE: United's stance on appealing Casemiro red card
The Argentine wears his heart on his sleeve and is willing to put his body on the line to help United and his teammates. And those were traits that shone through against Palace, as did his passing ability.
His performance prompted praise from Lineker and Wright. "That defender, man, Martinez at the back, he is something," Wright told BBC Sport, speaking on Match of the Day. Lineker added: "He's gritty. Gritty. We saw a bit of that in Qatar [at the World Cup]."
After joining United last August, fears over Martinez's height were regularly stressed by former players and pundits. However, he has proven them wrong in every sense of the imagination, settling into life in the Premier League with ease and becoming a firm fans' favourite.
Win a pair of tickets to the Premier League or Women's Super League match of your choosing! Enter by clicking here!
READ NEXT:
