Sports
Lisandro Martinez is the Answer to Man Utd’s Problems
Manchester United have been left reeling by the unfortunate news that captain Bruno Fernandes will miss around one month of football after picking up a hamstring injury against Aston Villa. His replacement in the team could be a forgotten man at Old Trafford.
Lots of fans have jumped to the conclusion that outcast Kobbie Mainoo could step into the side as a like-for-like replacement. However, Ruben Amorim has repeatedly shown he doesn’t trust the 20-year-old enough to rely on him.
Mainoo’s brother, Jordan, won’t have helped his cause either. The former Love Island star was spotted at United’s recent draw with Bournemouth with a t-shirt that read ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo’. It’s fair to say that it didn’t go down well.
Bruno Fernandes’ Injury Could Spark Man Utd Position Change
While Amorim appears to be tweaking his system in recent weeks, moving away from his trusted 3-4-3 formation at times, there’s already a better option than Mainoo at the club. Looking at how they lined up for the second half at Villa Park without their skipper, it’s clear who should be filling in.
Lisandro Martinez was asked to play in a midfield role rather than as part of the back three. While eyebrows were initially raised at that decision, the Argentine proved he can be effective and tidy in front of the backline.
Playing Martinez and Casemiro in front of the defence would allow someone like Mason Mount to have a freer role ahead of them. That wouldn’t be the case with a more box-to-box option in Fernandes’ place.
Gary Neville was impressed by the very first action he noticed from Martinez vs Aston Villa. The ex-Man Utd star commented on how ‘comfortable’ the Red Devils looked with the makeshift defensive midfielder in the side. He said:
“He [Martinez] is enjoying himself in there, he does the first thing well to win the ball, strides forward and hits across it, which means it is moving away from goal. “United are playing really well and look the more comfortable team in the first 10 minutes of the second half.”
Amorim Unconvinced by Martinez in Midfield
The 27-year-old has become somewhat of a forgotten man at Old Trafford after missing almost a full year of action through an ACL injury. However, he impressed in his new role against the Villans, looking like he hadn’t missed a beat.
The diminutive Argentine won two ground duels, won one tackle and made three recoveries. He proved he could slot in beside Casemiro in the engine room and make the Red Devils more solid.
However, it will be interesting to see if Amorim has fully changed his mind on the idea of Martinez playing in midfield. The idea was initially brought up to him in November 2024, but the Portuguese tactician wasn’t convinced. Per The Mirror, he said:
“I think a smart, intelligent football player can play in a lot of positions, but it is not the right position for him.
“He needs more time to work there as he is not working there [currently]. But in one emergency he can play [there]. I am not thinking about that.”
When Mainoo and Casemiro return to action for the upcoming fixtures, it will be interesting to see if the United boss has changed his mind. Martinez has certainly proved he is more than capable of doing a job in the middle of the park.
Statistics in this article are courtesy of SofaScore. Correct as of 25-12-25.
