Mohamed Salah Admits Lisandro Martínez is His Toughest Premier League Opponent
Liverpool’s Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah has set social media buzzing after making a surprising revelation about one of his fiercest rivals. Despite spending years competing against the very best defenders in the Premier League — and even training daily alongside Virgil van Dijk, widely regarded as the best in the world — Salah confessed that there is one Manchester United defender who constantly gives him sleepless nights: Lisandro Martínez.
Speaking in an interview, Salah was open in his admiration, admitting that Martínez’s style of play is unlike anything he has experienced before. “I have faced William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, and of course train with Van Dijk every day. But honestly, I haven’t seen a defender with Martínez’s aggression and intensity. He’s dangerously good, and if I could, I would love to see him at Liverpool.” Those words shocked fans, especially given the historic rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United.
Martínez, nicknamed “The Butcher of Old Trafford,” has built a reputation as one of the toughest defenders in the league. Known for his fearless tackles, relentless pressing, and uncompromising style, he thrives on shutting down even the best attackers. Salah, who is usually the man defenders fear, has admitted that facing Martínez is a completely different battle. Unlike Van Dijk’s calm authority or Saliba’s elegance, Martínez thrives in chaos, using his physicality and grit to dominate opponents.
The thought of a defensive partnership between Van Dijk and Martínez at Anfield has sparked wild debates online. Liverpool fans have been quick to imagine how unstoppable the duo could be, while United supporters are celebrating the recognition of their defender’s quality from one of the league’s deadliest forwards. Of course, such a transfer is nearly impossible — United would never sell a player so important to their backline to their fiercest rivals.
Still, Salah’s confession says more than any statistic could. It highlights the growing respect Martínez is earning across the Premier League. For a player of Salah’s calibre to admit that he struggles against him is proof that Martínez has carved out his place among the elite. And in a league filled with world-class defenders, that is no small achievement.
