“It’s something very different and something I’ve not experienced before. I’ve played at centre-back but in a three and it is totally different.

“The manager has needed me to play there, and I’m happy to play wherever, as long as I’m on that pitch.

“It always helps when you’ve got someone with the world-class ability next to me like Varane. He’s spoken to me a lot, not just during the game, but before, and I’ve really enjoyed it.

“And of course, the ones that are not playing, like Vic [Lindelof] and Harry [Maguire], have been extremely helpful to me with giving details on what to do.”

Given Varane and Martinez’s formidable partnership last term and Maguire’s collapsed summer exit, no one could’ve predicted this had a chance of being Ten Hag’s pairing in November.