Lisandro Martinez was firmly established as a fan favourite at Manchester United even before the World Cup break.
Then he returned from the tournament as a world champion, and has continued to put his body on the line for the Red Devils.
Last night even with a head bandage and black eye, he was throwing himself around the pitch, clattering into opponents and putting himself between the ball and the goal.
Martinez was named as Sky Sports’ man of the match against Nottingham Forest and was our highest scoring star in our player ratings from the 3-0 win.
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Martinez praised
The summer signing from Ajax has made a big impact, and former star Wes Brown praised the defender’s performance, and lauded him as a player the team has been missing.
Brown told MUTV: “He’s been outstanding. He doesn’t take any messing about. He’s brought that dominance back into it alongside Varane or Lindelof.
“He’s the powerhouse behind the defence, someone we’ve needed for a while. He’s a complete warrior on the pitch, tackling, heading.”
He also added that Martinez’s presence gives the midfield confidence, knowing they have such an assured defender behind them.
The defender completed more passes than any player on the pitch against Forest (92), and also won the most tackles (4).
Martinez scored his first goal for United away at Arsenal at the weekend and has settled into life in English football very quickly.
Now he is on course to win another trophy, with Manchester United closing in on on the Carabao Cup final.
Martinez, 25, has now made 28 appearances for United already this season across four competitions, and we have only just passed the halfway point in the Premier League.
There is a long way to go, but with Martinez, United look stronger. It’s no wonder Erik ten Hag pushed for his signing.
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