Lisandro Martinez got a timely 90 minutes under his belt against Charlton but will need more than playing time to handle Erling Haaland.
Everton were powerless to prevent Erling Haaland from scoring but almost succeeded in starting his New Year’s Eve celebrations early.
Haaland goaded Idrissa Gueye in celebration and was visibly riled by Ben Godfrey’s rumbustious approach, celebrating a free-kick sarcastically. Seconds later, Haaland lunged in on Vitalii Mykolenko, drawing the ire of almost every Everton player.
Jordan Pickford suggested it was a studs-up assault. Haaland was booked for a tackle that was vicious.
The Haalands have form for going face-to-face with their nemesis. Unlike Alf-Inge, Erling did not accuse Mykolenko of feigning agony and instead held up an apologetic hand.
At Old Trafford on Saturday, it is entirely possible United supporters will remind Haaland junior of Roy Keane embedding his sharpened studs into his father’s knee nearly 22 years ago. Keane will not be on punditry duty, having been two goalframes away from Alf-Inge Haaland at the Etihad in October.
Erling Haaland’s rush of blood to the head is an incentive for United supporters and players to test the striker’s equanimity. Haaland is a Leeds-born boyhood City fan who rejected United two years ago. He is a Scouse affiliation short of completing the full set.
“I like it, the extra limit,” Pep Guardiola said of Haaland’s dark side last week. “Not just him, everyone. His behaviours, you always have to use [your head] but play with this passion. That is necessary.
“I prefer that than to be flat. Strikers have to handle tough, tough central defenders.”
Haaland will likely encounter Lisandro Martinez after he came through 90 minutes against Charlton. Guardiola has hinted he is considering “ridiculous” options against United and it would be ridiculous of Erik ten Hag to demote Martinez to the bench.
Raphael Varane is the more important centre half to United though Martinez was their best prior to the World Cup. It has been almost five months since his height or £55.3million fee were legitimately mentioned after a chastening start against Brighton and Brentford.
Martinez’s turning point came in the first minute of the uplifting win over Liverpool. He deliberately clipped Mohamed Salah, immediately rose to his feet and barged into the Egyptian.
Salah held his arms out diplomatically and laughed nervously. He scored that evening but was cowed by Martinez’s aggression on the night he was first paired with Varane.
The clip was worthy of its own hyperlink on the United website under the title ‘Lisandro Martinez barges into Mohamed Salah’. It set the tone for United’s rip-roaring start and the ‘pressing monsters’ were slayed.
Truculence is not Varane’s style. Martinez is Argentinian and thus born kicking and screaming. Argentina’s World Cup winners were a collection of classless snides. Martinez was one of the tamer and more respectful members.
Martinez had to assert his authority against Salah nine days after a humiliating half-time withdrawal with Brentford 4-0 up. Salah glanced at Christian Eriksen, bemused by Martinez’s conduct and accustomed to more deferential opponents.
Haaland has already given Martinez the runaround, scoring a hat-trick in City’s evisceration of United in October. Martinez was on the pitch for all three of Haaland’s goals, sold a dummy for the Norwegian’s third. Haaland feigned a dash to the near post, checked his run and left-back Sergio Gomez was attuned to the same frequency.
Historically, United rarely target an opponent. Alex Ferguson selected dogs of war Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside and Remi Moses to browbeat Paul Gascogine but he ran rings around them. Jose Antonio Reyes was kicked from pillar to post by the Neville brothers to end Arsenal’s unbeaten streak in 2004 but Ferguson took pride in United’s disciplinary record. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was admonished for his deliberate red card on Rob Lee in 1998.
Ander Herrera shadowed Eden Hazard in an authoritative 2-0 defeat of champions-elect Chelsea in 2017. Ferguson devised man-marking jobs on Steve McManaman, Andrea Pirlo and Marouane Fellaini. All of those encounters were contested fairly.
In derby folklore, the theatrical Francis Lee swan-dived on the Maine Road pitch in 1971 in front of an amused Willie Morgan to demonstrate what he thought of George Best’s tumble, having hacked the United legend’s ankles. In the 90s, the City defender Keith Curle vainly antagonised Eric Cantona, a scorer of eight goals in seven undefeated derbies.
One of the defining images of Jaap Stam’s career was his refusal to budge for the Inter Milan striker Ivan Zamorano. Sometimes allowances have to be made for great players, provided the line isn’t crossed. United have not had a single red card under Erik ten Hag and it is the first time they have gone the first five months of a season without a dismissal since 2015-16.
Martinez, a near-instant cult figure as Stam was in his first season with United, cannot be a walkover for Haaland, a specimen who could have been built in a laboratory. United need a winning formula.
SOURCE: manchestereveningnews.co.uk
