Lisandro Martinez injury update: Manchester United confirm extended absence for defender
Manchester United have announced that ‘Lisandro Martinez will be out of action for an extended period‘ as he recovers from his foot injury.
Martinez picked up the injury at the end of last season and though it appeared he had fully recovered over the summer, it turns out this was not the case.
The World Cup winner missed last weekend’s win at Burnley and the Carabao Cup victory over Crystal Palace on Tuesday, but it was hoped he would be back soon.
But the Red Devils have now confirmed the worst in a statement on Friday: ‘Lisandro Martinez will be out of action for an extended period due to an aggravation of the foot injury he suffered in April.
What is the extent of Lisandro Martinez’s injury?
The statement continued: ‘The Argentinian defender experienced the setback in our Premier League game against Arsenal earlier this month. Martinez bravely continued playing for the following two games against Brighton & Hove Albion and Bayern Munich.
But it has now been determined that he needs a period on the sidelines for recovery and rehabilitation. Assessment is ongoing to decide next steps. Everyone at Manchester United sends Lisandro our best wishes and looks forward to him coming back as soon as possible.’
While no timescale is given, it is very likely that the 25-year-old will be sidelined for many months, a huge blow given his importance to Erik ten Hag’s plans.
How will Manchester United cope without Lisandro Martinez?
United’s defence has been ravaged by injuries of late, with Martinez joined by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia in the treatment room.
To make matters worse, the club have also announced that Sergio Reguilon, who missed the cup win over Palace with illness, has picked up a ‘minor injury’ and will miss the Premier League clash against the Eagles on Saturday.
What does this mean for Manchester United?
The injuries to Martinez, Wan-Bissaka, Shaw and Malacia leave United short at the back, with Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof the only fit senior centre-backs. Axel Tuanzebe is also available but he is yet to feature this season due to injury.
It remains to be seen how United will cope without Martinez, but it is clear that they will need to bring in reinforcements in January if they are to challenge for silverware this season.
Conclusion
Manchester United have confirmed that defender Lisandro Martinez will be out of action for an extended period due to an aggravation of a foot injury he suffered in April. The Argentinian experienced the setback in their Premier League game against Arsenal earlier this month and it has now been determined that he needs a period on the sidelines for recovery and rehabilitation.
The injuries to Martinez, Wan-Bissaka, Shaw and Malacia leave United short at the back and it remains to be seen how they will cope without him. It is clear that they will need to bring in reinforcements in January if they are to challenge for silverware this season.