Jamie Carragher finally admits he was wrong about 'special' Lisandro Martinez

Despite being a heavy critic of Martinez in his early days at Old Trafford, former Liverpool defender Carragher admitted on SkyBet's Overlap The Fan Debate that the he was wrong to have doubted the 'brilliant' Argentine.

He said: "Lisandro Martínez has been brilliant. To be that small and play centre-back, you obviously have to be a special player."

Carragher went on to add that Martinez has seemingly played a key role in helping to uplift the spirit at Old Trafford, even when he's not been on the pitch.

"He's been a big part of Manchester United's spirit," he added. "There was a game I saw a few weeks ago and he was a sub, and someone scored a late goal, and he was right involved in the celebrations."

The former Liverpool man did admit that Martinez does have his weaknesses - primarily his well-documented height, the Argentine stands at just 5ft 9in - but that he's been impressed with how the United defender has ensured that he hasn't been 'exposed'.

He said: "At the World Cup with Argentina, we saw him have that fight – with him and Casemiro coming in, they feel more powerful and strong. Someone of that size will get exposed in the air – that has to happen at some stage.

"Every player has weaknesses; the best players hide them or make sure they don't get exposed. He's a really good player and he's surprised me with the way he's coped."

Martinez has quickly become a fan favourite at Old Trafford. Dubbed 'the Butcher', Martinez's fearless nature has been welcomed with open arms by the Stretford End faithful.