Argentine centre-back Martinez has been a revelation at Old Trafford since his £57m move from Ajax last summer.
There were fears the 25-year-old could be exposed in the Premier League due to his height, with Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher among those to question his signing.
But Martinez quickly put those concerns to bed, forming an impressive centre-back partnership with Raphael Varane before going away to Qatar and winning the World Cup with Argentina.
Martinez has continued to impress since returning to Manchester United, helping Erik ten Hag’s side move to within five points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, reach the EFL Cup final and progress in the Europa League at the expense of Barcelona.
The diminutive defender has come up against some of the best forwards in the world this season, enjoying battles with the likes of Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.
But Martinez cited Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus as his toughest opponent since arriving in England in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.
Brazil’s Jesus missed Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Manchester United last month through injury but was part of the Gunners team that lost 3-1 at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
Jesus, who joined Arsenal from Manchester City last summer, is still sidelined with the knee injury he sustained during the World Cup but is closing in on a return.
Martinez, meanwhile, has revealed how determined he is to help United beat Newcastle in Sunday’s EFL Cup final and lift their first piece of silverware since 2017.
‘It means a lot to reach the final, for sure,’ Martinez said. ‘It’s my first cup final here, it’s not done yet, but we will prepare for the game, we are ready for this game, to fight, and it would be fantastic to get this trophy.
‘That’s why we work hard, we try hard. When you do the right things, these finals come, you know?
‘The mood is amazing here, everybody is positive, we have a lot of motivation as well. We are hungry, we want to win and that’s the mentality of the team.
‘The motivation is really high, you know? This club demands to win trophies, so the minimum is to win every final.
‘We’re looking forward [to it] for sure. Like I said, every game is really important, and we need that support from our fans.’
While Martinez and Manchester United are preparing for Sunday’s EFL Cup final at Wembley, Premier League leaders Arsenal return to action on Saturday against Leicester City.
MORE : Ray Parlour predicts where Manchester United will finish in the Premier League
MORE : Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers says Arsenal have ‘outstanding’ player on bench
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