Mikael Silvestre’s “best Manchester United defender” answer shows Erik ten Hag’s influence

Mikael Silvestre won four Premier League titles with Manchester United and certainly knows a good defender when he sees one.

Silvestre, 49, spent nine years at Old Trafford, appearing 249 times for the club.

United’s defensive situation has improved ten-fold since Erik ten Hag took over at the beginning of the season. The Reds have already kept four more clean sheets this term (14) than in the entirety of last season.

Lisandro Martinez and Raphaël Varane have formed a strong relationship in the heart of the defence, but the former Red Devil cannot pick just one stand-out for the club so far this season.

“I don’t want to single out one player because they’ve all played their part,” Silvestre told bettingexpert. “Even Wan-Bissaka, who’s not been playing, came and did the job. I think they’re all important.

“Also because in the middle of the park, the two centre-backs, they are a unit. It’s not at like Liverpool where you have van Dijk or at City, where Ruben Dias last season was imperious,” he added.

“So at United, the obvious ones would be two World Cup winners Varane and Martinez but the thing is that Harry (Maguire) and Victor (Lindelof), whenever they played, despite some early shakiness for Harry, now I think their confidence is back.

“With the amount of games they’re playing, everyone is important.”

Martinez is set to return to the line-up on Tuesday as United face Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

The Argentine defender returned late from the World Cup after celebrating his country’s triumph.

He appeared from the bench twice before starting in the EFL Cup win against Charlton Athletic, gaining match fitness ahead of the Manchester Derby.