“Big risks”: Rio Ferdinand explains why United’s defensive warrior is treated differently by his teammates

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has hailed Lisandro Martinez after a series of impressive performances this season. The Argentine was part of the Red Devils side that came away from the London Stadium with a point on Tuesday, 10 February, in the Premier League.

Martinez has been everpresent in the English giants’ backline ever since recovering from an ACL injury in December. The 28 year old has started every game for United since the 1-0 win over Newcastle United at the end of last year.

The Argentine first slotted effortlessly into former head coach Ruben Amorim’s back three. After the Portuguese was relieved of his duties at the beginning of this year and the Red Devils switched to a back four, Martinez reignited his partnership with Harry Maguire at the heart of the backline. The Argentine’s performances have earned him praise from Ferdinand.

Ferdinand hails Martinez’s bravery

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents ahead of Tuesday’s game against West Ham, Ferdinand insisted that Martinez’s bravery makes him an asset to United. He said: “Martinez, his passing, the way he draws the forwards onto him to get really close, there’s a bravery in that.”

“There’s a bravery in taking the ball; there’s big risks with the distance he allows between him and the forward. Why he does that is he passes beyond that striker and that striker can’t react and make a difference in the next phase of play.”

“He wants to make a difference in the play. Most centre-halves the midfielders will come and get the ball off them. Man United midfielders are like ‘he’s good enough on the ball, we’ll move around away from him, because he’ll find us somewhere to impact the game.’ It’s interesting to see and long may that continue.”

Martinez recently faced criticism from United legends Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, before proving them wrong in the Manchester Derby. The Argentine, perhaps, should have done better on Tuesday night, when he afforded Jarrod Bowen time and space to pick out Tomas Soucek for the West Ham goal.

However, Martinez also finished the game with 16 passes into the final third, nine ball recoveries, and zero fouls committed, while winning all of his aerial duels. He completed 100 of his 108 attemoted passes and made an outrageous turn in his own box while under pressure from the opposition that epitomised his calmness.

Lisandro Martinez’s game by numbers vs. West Ham:

108 passes attempted
100 passes completed
100% aerial duels won
16 passes into the final third
9 ball recoveries
0 fouls

That turn in his own box…. pic.twitter.com/jwXDFuT25Q

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 10, 2026

Martinez’s future remains uncertain

Martinez is under contract with United until 2027, but there has been speculation regarding his future of late. A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person states that Barcelona are interested in the Argentine and are confident of securing his signature.

United, however, have to be careful about the entire scenario, given the uncertainties surrounding Maguire’s future. The Englishman is out of contract this summer and he has not signed a new deal yet.

Meanwhile, Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined with a back injury since December and there could be concerns regarding his long-term fitness. With Casemiro also set to leave Old Trafford this summer, Martinez’s leadership qualities could make him more important than ever under INEOS.

Lisandro Martinez Premier League Stats: 2025/26 Season

Source: Premier League website.

Final Thoughts

It would be harsh to judge Martinez on his momentary lapse of concentration against the Hammers, especially since he has been outstanding under Carrick so far. According to Squawka, the Argentine made 19 accurate passes into the final third against Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, the most among all players in the Premier League in Gameweek 25.

Martinez brings calmness, poise and intelligence to United’s backline, while his warrior spirit sets the mood in the team. If the Red Devils are to secure a top-four finish this season, they will need “The Butcher” to keep doing what he does best.

Lisandro Martinez made 19 accurate passes into the final third against Tottenham, at least seven more than any other player in the Premier League in GW25.

He completed 103 passes overall, the most by a Man Utd player in a PL game since Nov 2024. https://t.co/7hgMqSnO7h pic.twitter.com/8fkwiSN3Zc

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 9, 2026

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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