Lisandro Martinez’s no-nonsense defending steers Man United to win against Crystal Palace
Manchester United fought hard to clinch all three points against Crystal Palace in a hotly-contested affair at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils won by two goals to one, courtesy of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford.
United had 54% possession to Palace’s 46%. The winners of the game registered 14 shots, with five being on target.
The Eagles had 10 shots, with three of them requiring David de Gea to swing into immediate action.
Erik ten Hag’s men made 484 passes with a success rate of 85%. Palace on the other hand made 412 passes with a pass accuracy of 80%.
In periods when the London club was on top and in search of an equalizer, it was Lisandro Martinez’s interventions that helped the team see out the win and withstand pressure.
The Argentine had an impressive 92% pass accuracy.
He had 77 touches of the ball in his role as Raphael Varane‘s partner.
Martinez successfully completed 61 passes. In what was a defensive masterclass from the World Cup winner, he made an astonishing seven ball recoveries.
The 25-year-old centre-back made five crucial clearances, most of them coming in the dying minutes of the game when United were struggling.
Martinez won three aerial duels in what was a dominant show of his heading ability.
He won 100% of his tackles and two of his duels on the ground against Palace’s tricky and extremely physical attackers.
Against Palace, Martinez showed why he is perhaps the best centre-back in the league. A defensive monster who makes everyone around him better, his aggressive and no-nonsense play was instrumental.
Source: dailylifeworld.com
