Lisandro Martínez

Martinez attacks the ball rather than waiting for it, stepping into challenges a split second before the forward expects contact and unsettling larger opponents through sheer commitment. His tackling is decisive, built to win the ball cleanly rather than simply put a body in the way. He also brings genuine composure on it, a habit from his time under a coach who wanted centre backs to start attacks rather than just stop them.

The obvious tension is his size, because there will always be a forward built to exploit it if Martinez mistimes a challenge or gets isolated in the air. Physical number nines have targeted him for exactly that reason, testing whether his aggression compensates for the inches he gives away in an aerial contest. Watch how United's other centre back covers those situations, because that partnership actually protects Martinez from being exposed.