Bold opening: Lisandro Martinez’s injury status is not a long-term setback, and the timing could be crucial for Manchester United. But here’s where it gets controversial: can United sustain their defensive stability without him for a few days, or does this expose a deeper vulnerability in Carrick’s squad rotation?
Carrick has told club media he doesn’t expect Martinez to be out for long. The centre-back had started in an unchanged back line across Carrick’s first five matches as head coach, but he missed Monday’s 1-0 win over Everton due to an issue picked up in the lead-up days. It isn’t yet clear whether Martinez will be fit for Sunday’s home Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, but the manager remains hopeful it will be merely a matter of days before the World Cup winner is back involved.
In his pre-Palace interview with MUTV’s Mark Sullivan, Carrick also provided a recovery update on Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu, who has been sidelined for a longer spell after his January goal against Arsenal. “Patrick is a little bit further down the line in terms of weeks, but he’s progressing well,” Carrick said. “Licha is much closer than Patrick and, with any luck, it will be a matter of days. We’ll assess him over the next day or two.”
Carrick added that Mason Mount is nearing a return, with Matthijs de Ligt still slightly behind Mason in recovery. The aim is to bring the squad back to full strength as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Mason Mount and Matthijs de Ligt missed the previous outing at Hill Dickinson Stadium while continuing their recoveries.
For depth at centre-back, Leny Yoro filled in for Martinez on Merseyside, partnering with Harry Maguire. Yoro could be an option again if Sunday’s game comes too soon for the Argentina international.
Upcoming fixtures keep coming thick and fast: United head to Newcastle United three days after the Palace game, with a 20:15 GMT kick-off on Wednesday.
Follow-up note: Carrick’s updates emphasize how quickly things can shift in a title-chasing schedule, where a brief period without a key defender can force tactical tweaks and squad juggling. How do you think United should navigate the next few weeks if Martinez remains unavailable—and would you prefer more rotation to protect the squad or a stricter focus on a stable starting XI?
