Pep Guardiola has hit back at critics of Lisandro Martinez and says his height won’t prevent him from combatting the threat of Erling Haaland in Sunday’s derby.
The Argentina international has already secured cult hero status at Old Trafford after a number of combative displays during the course of United’s recent revival.
Many pundits, most notably Carragher, have argued that Martinez’s stature would see him outmuscled in the Premier League and the former Liverpool defender suggested that it was far too premature to label the player from Ajax an unqualified success.
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He wrote in the Daily Telegraph: ‘United’s defence has impressed since the calamitous performance against Brentford and Martinez has been central to that. Since he was paired with Varane, they have kept three clean sheets in five games. But, long-term, the reservations I had when first seeing Martínez remain.
‘He looks a little too short to play centre-back in the Premier League. We saw when United struggled badly against Brentford – a game where Martinez was subbed at half-time – how difficult it is for him if sides hit long balls into the penalty area to a striker relishing such service like Ivan Toney.
‘There is nothing you can do about a height disadvantage when forced into continuous aerial challenges.
‘It is well known that some of the greatest centre-backs of all time, including Italy’s Franco Baresi, Argentina’s Daniel Passarella and England’s Bobby Moore, were less than 6ft, proving size is no barrier to being a world-class centre-half.
‘The difference is they were pretty much 10 out of 10 in every other department, compensating for the one weakness they could do nothing about. ‘It is premature to suggest Martínez will be so flawless in every other facet of his game.’
Martinez will be charged with one of the toughest tasks in world football this weekend when he goes up against Haaland, who has had an impressive start to his career in England.
The Norway international has scored15 goals in 12 games for club and country already this season, including consecutive hat-tricks, but Guardiola is sure his striker will not be given an easy ride by Martinez.
He said: ‘I like when people underestimate players for size. He can tell them, ‘I’m here and a good player’. He’s a fantastic player, aggressive, good build-up. United paid this money, Erik [ten Hag] knows him.
‘It’s not the first time he’s played against taller strikers, he handles it. Important is to be intelligent, brave. The crosses, Erling [Haaland] is taller, we see what happens.’
