Lisandro Martinez could miss as many as nine matches for Manchester United after he was forced off with a knee injury against West Ham United on Sunday.
The Argentine was starting only his fourth match since returning from a previous lengthy lay-off but was forced out of the 3-0 win at Old Trafford after clashing with Hammers defender Vladimir Coufal in the 71st minute. Martinez could be seen clutching his knee in agony after the incident, raising fears that he could be set to endure another spell out of the team.
And that seems to have been confirmed by Argentine journalist Gaston Edul who has shared an update on the situation via social media. As translated, the TyC Sports reporter wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Lisandro Martinez has a sprained collateral ligament. The worst scenario was ruled out. It is between a month and a half and two months of recovery. You don’t have to have surgery. Good news.”
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The suggestion that Martinez will not require surgery should mean his season has not ended in February, but the 26-year-old is set to miss a number of key matches. Should he need the full two months to recover he will miss eight Premier League games and at least one FA Cup fixture.
Which games could Martinez miss?
Martinez will miss out on the crunch trip to Aston Villa on February 11, where United will attempt to make up some points on the team that currently occupies the fourth Champions League qualification spot. He will also have to sit out a trip to Luton Town on February 18.
A game against Fulham on February 24 is the first home game he will miss. United will face either Bristol City or Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round on February 28, but they will have to make the midweek trip without their Argentine defender. Of course if United make it through to the quarter-final of the FA Cup, he could miss that too.
Martinez is likely to be more frustrated by the fact that he will be unavailable to face champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Match 3, before United play host to Everton on March 9.
Another home game against Sheffield United follows on Match 16 before a tricky away trip at Brentford could be encountered without Martinez on March 30. Should he require the full two months out, the final match he will miss is a key trip to Chelsea under the lights on April 3.
Assuming Martinez will be fit again after this date, his first match back could hardly be more significant. United will host arch rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on April 6, where the opportunity to dent Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League title ambitions should serve as motivation alone to get back to full fitness.
Matches Martinez could miss in full
February 11 – Aston Villa (a)
February 18 – Luton Town (a)
February 24 – Fulham (h)
February 28 – FA Cup fifth round (TBC)
March 3 – Manchester City (a)
March 9 – Everton (h)
March 16 – Sheffield United (h) or FA Cup quarter-final
March 30 – Brentford (a)
April 3 – Chelsea (a)
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
