Lisandro Martinez had already endeared himself to the Manchester United faithful, but an interaction with the travelling support in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Southampton will have bolstered his status.
After receiving criticism from onlookers following the woeful first half against Brentford, after which he was substituted by Erik ten Hag, the defender has gone on to show his true quality.
The Argentine produced a masterclass in the 2-1 win over Liverpool and kept his first clean sheet for his new club at the weekend. There had been concerns from some about his height, the centre-half standing at 5ft 9in.
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But Martinez ’s aerial statistics have proven that this is not a problem for the 24-year-old, who has only lost one mid-air battle in six during his first three games. United fans recognised his efforts again in Saturday’s win at St Mary’s.
Towards the end of the game, a wayward ball found itself among the visiting fans. Going to retrieve the ball, Martinez sneakily gestured to the United supporters not to give the ball back so quickly in an effort to run down some vital seconds (as seen above).
Ultimately, the away side clung on for the win, the fans - thanks to Martinez - doing their part to ensure Ten Hag bagged his second win of his tenure. Alongside Raphael Varane, Martinez is now considered a regular starter under his former Ajax boss at United, with captain Harry Maguire losing his spot as a consequence.
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