Manchester United got off the mark under Erik ten Hag on Monday night as they got the better of Liverpool at Old Trafford.
In what was a must win match for both sides, it was United who wanted it more than their opponents. Liverpool were flat, lethargic and were simply not good enough.
On the other hand, United showed tremendous attitude as they produced a stellar team performance in front of a noisy Old Trafford crowd.
Advert
Ten Hag side deservedly won the game 2-1 thanks to goals from English duo Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford. Mohamed Salah was the scorer for Liverpool in the 81st minute.
There were fantastic individual performances all over the park from United, the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Tyrell Malacia and Anthony Martial all impressed.
However, it was United’s summer signing Lisandro Martinez who really caught the eye.
Advert
The Argentine centre back has had a tough start to life in the Premier League, he was targeted by Brighton and Brentford in the first two league games due to his height of 5’9”.
Martinez was subbed off at half time during the 4-0 demolition by Brentford, which started a wave of criticism from fans.
Despite that, Ten Hag kept faith in his man and threw him into his starting line up against the likes of Salah, Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino.
Martinez produced a stunning display as he was incredibly solid from minute one all the way to minute 90.
Advert
And after the match, he caught the eye of even more United fans after he celebrated the victory wildly.
Martinez fell on his knees and was repeatedly hitting the Old Trafford pitch as he and his teammates’ valiant efforts were finally rewarded.
United fans took to social media to show their excitement over Martinez.
Advert
One fan said: “That guy's energy is consistent from the 1st minute to the last he has the passion and aggressiveness.”
Another tweeted: “He knows what it means to play for Manchester United.”
A third fan added: “After many years I have found my favourite united player who knows what playing for united means.”
After the match, manager Ten Hag was asked about his summer acquisition’s physical presence.
Advert
He said: “I think that is what he is bringing into the squad.
“That is one of his attributes. He can bring that into this squad, into this team. I think we can also say this against Brighton; he brought a really good performance.”
Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@ManUtdTopics: Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Lisandro Martinez, Liverpool
