“He’s proven he’s one of the best defenders in the Premier League. His performance against Manchester City was nothing short of exceptional. I’ve heard rumors he doesn’t get enough credit, but if it were up to me, he’d be the first name on the team sheet every single match.” – This is according to a Manchester United legend who has heaped praise on the overlooked United star after a dominant display in their victory over City.

Ruben Amorim’s reign at Manchester United appears to be in full swing after his side pulled off a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against Manchester City.

Facing Pep Guardiola’s team at the Etihad Stadium didn’t intimidate Amorim’s men. The fiery atmosphere even extended to the tunnel, where Darren Fletcher clashed with Kyle Walker over his exaggerated reaction to an encounter with Rasmus Hojlund.

United’s resilience shone through as they overcame a one-goal deficit with two late strikes from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo. Diallo, in particular, stole the spotlight, earning the penalty for the equalizer and delivering a decisive goal in the dying moments of the match.

While Diallo’s heroics caught much of the attention, the victory was a collective effort, and Frank Lebouef singled out Lisandro Martinez for special praise.

The Argentine defender anchored a backline featuring Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Diogo Dalot, excelling in his defensive role while also providing the crucial assist for Diallo’s winner.

Lebouef, speaking on ESPN FC, was asked if Martinez is the best ball-playing center-back in the Premier League. He responded, “Well, he’s one of the best. Today, I must say, he impressed me a lot. Very calm technically, he did some fantastic work. I don’t know if he’s the best—Ruben Dias and Virgil van Dijk are up there—but Martinez is certainly in the conversation.”

The World Cup-winning defender also acknowledged Martinez’s occasional lapses in composure but praised his ability to remain composed under pressure with the ball at his feet.

Martinez faced a challenging task against City’s formidable attack, which included Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, and Bernardo Silva. Despite this, the 26-year-old excelled defensively and played a key role in securing the win.

Pep Guardiola has long been an admirer of Martinez, previously naming him among the world’s top five defenders after United defeated City 2-1 in last season’s FA Cup final. Guardiola remarked, “Lisandro Martinez is one of the top five center-backs in the world. He made a difference by breaking through our defense with his passing.”

Against City once again, Martinez demonstrated why he continues to earn such high praise, combining grit and elegance in a standout performance at the heart of United’s defense.