Martínez is now standing tall after a difficult start at Manchester United

Defender was said to be too short to ever be world-class but showed against West Ham he has the quality to succeed

First Gianluca Scamacca shot from 10 yards and Lisandro Martínez’s body was in the way, then the two darted for the looping ball, the Italian striker with a raised right boot and the centre-back head first. Martínez won the race to end the attack. His reward was a boot in the face, not that he cared, having completed his job of stopping a goal. A clean sheet is the most important thing, regardless of personal cost.

The final moments of Manchester United’s 1-0 win against West Ham were a scrap, a concept in which the hosts have not always been willing participants. Martínez was at the heart of it, his teammates following the demanding standards set by the Argentinian. Limbs and torsos were put in the ball’s path to ensure Marcus Rashford’s first‑half header was the difference.