Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez will miss around eight weeks of action due to a knee injury
Manchester United delivered a statement to provide an update on Lisandro Martinez after he sustained a knee injury. Martinez’s right knee injury will sideline him for around eight weeks, but he does not require surgery.
The Argentina international sustained the injury against West Ham United in the team’s 3-0 victory at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are currently sixth in the Premier League table, eight points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.
United suffered a dreadful start to the season, facing early elimination from the Champions League and the Carabao Cup. Furthermore, the poor form in the Premier League forced them to rethink their season’s expectations for the latter stages.
The Red Devils faced an injury crisis in their defence, acting as a small mitigating factor during their troubled times. Martinez has missed most of the current season due to injuries, making him unreliable as the first-choice centre-back.
United released an official statement (h/t The Athletic) to deliver an update on Martinez along with the expected recovery timeline. It read:
“Lisandro Martinez has sustained an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his knee and is expected to be out of action for at least 8 weeks. We all wish Licha a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the pitch later in the season.”
Martinez has made 10 appearances in all competitions so far, contributing with only an assist this season. The 26-year-old missed 22 games due to a foot injury during the first half of the season.
United manager Erik ten Hag signed Martinez from Ajax to play alongside Raphael Varane as the first-choice centre-back. Last season, he featured regularly until he suffered a metatarsal fracture near the end of the season.
Ten Hag has deployed Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw and Jonny Evans in the absence of Martinez. However, each of the players has faced an injury issue during the duration of the season, creating instability.
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Despite the qualities of Martinez and his strong bond with his peers and the fanbase, United need a reliable defender. The recurring injuries sustained by the Argentinian at the time of his peak is truly unfortunate and we wish him a speedy recovery.
