Lisandro Martinez has agreed with teammate Joshua Zirkzee’s glowing assessment of Manchester United’s up-and-coming talent, who has been training with United’s first-team squad during the international break. This will involve Martinez himself returning to first-team training as he works his way back from injury.
The Argentine defender has been sidelined since February with a serious knee injury. However, he is expected to return within the next few weeks.
Due to the serious nature of the injury, Martinez has undergone a careful rehabilitation program and returned to grass running a few months ago.
The 27-year-old has now rejoined his colleagues and is taking part in regular training sessions. During his international break, Martinez joined up with the Argentina team and took part in some training sessions. He is now back at United.
Players such as Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee did not receive international call-ups for England and Netherlands respectively and remained on the training ground. This has allowed several of United’s youth prospects to be promoted to first-team training sessions.
Zirkzee and Martinez appeared to have won the small-sided game at Carrington, but the Dutch striker posted on Instagram: “The young players made it easy for us @lisandromartinezzz.” The defender then shared the message to his Stories, adding a red heart and flexed arm emoji.
If it had been Martinez’s decision alone, he probably would have returned a few weeks earlier, but before the draw with Nottingham Forest Ruben Amorim admitted that certain parts of his training schedule would need to be changed.
He said, “He wants to go to this, but he won’t, it’s going to take time.
“He started training with us, but we had to change some things in practice for him, so slowly he will get better. He’s really good. He gives us that edge in every training session.”
United have stagnated significantly in his absence, with their defensive and pressing abilities positively affected.
Luke Shaw is another player who has returned to the team after spending the last few months sidelined with Martinez. Amorim appears to have found a new role for Shaw, joining Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt on the left in the most combative position of the three centre-halves.
This requires him to step forward and challenge attacking midfielders who target the spaces between United’s defensive trio and central duo, which he did brilliantly against Georginio Rutter in the win over Brighton.
There is no doubt that Martinez excels in his position, but with Shaw’s strong performances and the lack of European competition at Old Trafford this season, it may be a long time before he occupies the position consistently. United still have 10 games in hand over the next six weeks and Martinez’s involvement is very likely.
Benjamin Sesko, Brian Mbeumo and Amad will all be unavailable during a period that Amorim hopes will be short-lived as the squad’s restrictions are scrutinized.
