Lisandro Martinez shares his thoughts ahead of the derby against Erling Haaland

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has spoken about his upcoming confrontation with Erling Haaland ahead of the crucial Premier League derby against Manchester City. According to Goal.com, the Argentine defender emphasized that he will not rest on his past successes against the opposing striker and is preparing seriously for the upcoming match. This is reported by Goal.com reports.

Both teams enter the derby at Old Trafford on Saturday night in unique form. Although Manchester United struggled in their opening Premier League matches this season, they regained confidence with a 4-0 victory over Sabah in the Champions League.

The main duel on the pitch and past results

The upcoming game will open another chapter in the personal battle between Lisandro Martinez and Erling Haaland. Although the Norwegian striker scored a hat-trick in his first derby, he has failed to score against the Argentine defender in their last five meetings. Notably, in January, under Michael Carrick, Manchester United won 2-0, with Martinez neutralizing the striker and silencing the critics.

However, Lisandro Martinez does not want to dwell on past results. Responding to journalists' questions after the European victory, the center-back said about his previous experience neutralizing Haaland: "Yes, but that is in the past. It is the past, it is gone, and now I have to be ready for this game because it will be completely different from the previous one."

Team mood and tight schedule

European success has given the team a boost. Acknowledging the importance of the result, Martinez noted that while the win lifts spirits, all focus must now be on the derby. "Of course, when you win, your confidence grows. But now we must remain calm and humble, enjoy the evening victory, and think about the derby, which is very important for our team," he added.

Despite Manchester City having two extra days of rest for this match, Lisandro is not worried about the tight schedule. According to him, playing every three days and competing in all tournaments is the main desire of every player.

The Argentine, who also managed to score in the match against Sabah, stated that the team's interests are more important than personal results. "I am happy with my performance and our clean sheet. I am a defender; if I score, that's good, but if not, it doesn't matter. For me, the most important thing is to get three points, win, and play beautiful football," Martinez concluded.