Ivan Toney gives surprise verdict on Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez

Brentford striker Ivan Toney said it was a compliment to see Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez hooked at half-time during the Bees' 4-0 win on Saturday, and even praised some aspects of the defender's performance.

Toney had success in the air against the diminutive Martinez and the £55million summer signing was replaced at half-time by Raphael Varane, with United 4-0 down.

Brentford had targeted some aerial joy against Martinez, who joined from Ajax in the summer, and Toney did get the better off him, but the striker also praised the aggression of his opposite number and his ability to win contests on the floor.

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"To be fair to him he was doing well and was very aggressive for a centre-back. Obviously, if he gets beaten in the air he does well on the floor," said Toney.

"It was a 50-50 and sometimes I got the better of him and sometimes he got the better of me. It is a compliment for me, him getting subbed off at half-time - but whether it was for me or for a different thing they wanted to do we won't worry."

Some of Brentford's players revealed after the game that it had been part of a plan to utilise Toney's physical strength against Martinez, with David Raya often going long towards his striker.

"[With my] quality in the air and against a smaller centre-back. It was a good game plan and it worked. I felt I would put my body about," said Toney.

United were 4-0 down after 35 minutes in what was another dark day for the club, and they are bottom of the Premier League table after two games.

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