Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag offers a fitness update to Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof
Martinez and Lindelof started as United’s centre-back pairing at the Emirates Stadium, with the former’s usual partner Raphael Varane out for “a few weeks” due to injury.
However, the Argentinian was forced off the pitch with a strike of his own 25 minutes from time, while his Swedish colleague was also eliminated 17 minutes later and the game ended at 1-1 after Martin Odegaard scored a quick equalizer in the first half and thus the Marcus Rashford took the lead.
With Luke Shaw – who filled in at centre-back on several occasions last season – also out, United had to sit out the game against Arsenal with the much-maligned Harry Maguire and the recently returned Jonny Evans in central defense, the latter of whom accidentally deflected Declan Rice’s decisive shot Gunners in the 96th minute after a corner passed Andre Onana at his near post.
Injury shock: Lisandro Martinez was forced out of Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat at Arsenal
/ AFP via Getty ImagesGabriel Jesus secured victory for the hosts with a superb late solo effort, while United were left fuming after a series of key refereeing decisions which he felt went against them – not least the ruling out of a seemingly minor offside from Alejandro Garnacho’s clever counter-attack goal, the team’s goal von Ten Hag seemed to have gained a valuable late lead.
The sight of both Martinez and Lindelof firing and the fourth and fifth choice centre-backs ending the game was a major concern for United fans as injuries continue to crop up in the early stages of the new season.
Asked after the game about Martinez and Lindelof, Ten Hag said: “Victor was sick, so he had to leave.”
“And Licha [Martinez] said he had a problem with his foot. But I’m not sure if it’s an injury.
“We have to wait, we have to see, we have to make the diagnosis.”
United would definitely be keen to lose Martinez again, with the World Cup winner out several months earlier this year due to surgery to repair a fractured metatarsal bone. He was also sent off at half-time of the Premier League opener against Wolves at Old Trafford last month.
Ten Hag will be grateful for the timing of the upcoming international break as United are also currently without the likes of Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Tom Heaton, as well as Martinez, Varane, Lindelof and Shaw.
The problems are piling up: Victor Lindelof also had to leave due to illness
/ Manchester United via Getty ImagesThere was also neither Scott McTominay nor Jadon Sancho in the matchday squad against Arsenal, and Ten Hag also gave an update on the pair following the defeat.
“Scott is sick,” he said. “And Jadon wasn’t selected because of his performance in training. At Manchester United you have to reach a certain level every day and we can make decisions at the front line. So he wasn’t selected for this game.”
Sancho later responded to Ten Hag’s claims about his training efforts in an extraordinary statement released via his official social media accounts.
He wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Please don’t believe everything you read! I won’t let people say things that are completely untrue. I did very well in training this week.
“I believe there are other reasons for this matter which I will not go into. I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time, which isn’t fair! “All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team.
“I respect all the decisions made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and I am grateful for that because I know that every week is a challenge.”
“I will keep fighting for this badge no matter what!”
United return to action after the international break at home to leaders Brighton on September 16 before their Champions League campaign begins with a tough game against Bayern Munich four days later.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-martinez-lindelof-injury-latest-ten-hag-b1104573.html Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag offers a fitness update to Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof
