Manchester United‘s squad overhaul in the summer window has evidently done wonders for the side.
After an abysmal start to the season, United have gone from strength to strength and currently finds themselves on the brink of the Top 4, just a point away from Newcastle.
Erik Ten Hag’s influence on their change of fortunes is unquestionably immense, and so is the impact of his summer signings.
The likes of Christian Eriksen, Antony, and Casemiro have been major successes thus far, and that’s without bringing Lisandro Martinez into the equation.
Panned for his comparatively short stature at the beginning of the season, the Argentine has effectively silenced all the skeptics.
Nevertheless, he is currently being heralded as United’s best signing this season, and the claims certainly hold plenty of weight.
Dogged and determined in defense, the 24-year-old has let little get past him, especially since United’s recent resurgence.
As for the 5’9 elephant in the room, Martinez is actually pretty solid in the air, with immaculately timed leaps and excellent anticipation.
But his standout characteristic is, well, the ‘dawg’ in him.
Fearless is too modest an adjective, and simply labeling his defensive style as ‘aggressive’ doesn’t do the rough-housing justice.
Unafraid of getting ‘hands-on’ against attackers, Martinez is a real bully on the pitch.
He often sends players tumbling onto the turf before coldly turning his back to their rattled expressions. ‘Merciless’ fits the bill here.
Naturally, the United faithful are big fans of his approach, especially after witnessing some incredibly tame defending at Old Trafford in recent years.
Fans have already taken to his nickname, one that encapsulates Martinez’s attitude on the pitch, ‘The Butcher’.
Before their recent fixture against West Ham, United supporters devised a brutal banner to express their adoration for the player.
Unfortunately, it was banned from being displayed at the Stretford End, and ultimately, couldn’t see the lights of Old Trafford.
Following the game, the banner surfaced online for all to see, and the reason for its ban became apparent.
As seen in this image, the banner is a butcher’s knife or cleaver, placed right at the center of the Argentinian flag.
The spirit is pretty evident, but the method is questionable, after all, a cleaver can easily be interpreted as violent.
Fans online certainly loved it, and so did Martinez himself, as he posted to his Instagram and called the banner ‘incredible’.
Considering that it won’t be allowed into Old Trafford anytime soon, perhaps it’s time to repurpose the banner.
