Club football has been put to a halt by this winter’s World Cup and amid the five-week break, there is now time to assess Erik ten Hag’s first few months in charge.
The Dutchman endured a nightmare start, with a turbulent transfer window followed by two successive Premier League defeats against Brentford and Brighton.
Since then, United have only lost two league games and are now steadily climbing the table. Some of the best performers have been players Ten Hag insisted on signing over the summer.
Lisandro Martinez, in particular, has immediately become a fan-favourite at Old Trafford and his efforts have earned him plenty of plaudits.
In his explosive interview with TV presenter Piers Morgan, Cristiano Ronaldo reserved from praise for the Argentine when he was asked to name players he admires at the club.
Now, days before Argentina kick off their World Cup campaign, a tournament they are one of the favourites to win, Wayne Rooney has agreed with Ronaldo and praised Martinez.
“I really like Lisandro Martínez,” Rooney told The Times.
“Watching him for Manchester United recently, he is really composed and aggressive. He is perfect for international football and will be a big player for them.”
SN’s verdict…
Martinez’s arrival at Old Trafford was like a breath of fresh hair – he has completely transformed United’s defending and their build-up. You can already see why Ten Hag was desperate for him to follow him to United.
Martinez faced heavy criticism after his first two games but those critics have been awfully quiet for the last couple of months and that’s a testament to the 24-year-old’s unbelievable quality.
Rooney and Ronaldo are two of the greatest players in Premier League history and I’m sure their positive comments will mean more to Martinez than some of the experts on TV.
