Manchester United has announced that Lisandro Martinez has torn his anterior cruciate ligament. Martinez was seen being taken off the field in tears after a minor collision with Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr during the 82nd minute of United’s 2-0 loss at Old Trafford on Sunday. Reports from the Manchester Evening News indicated concerns in the locker room that Martinez might miss the rest of the season, and subsequent updates from Argentina confirmed he had suffered a ligament injury. In an official statement, Manchester United said: “Manchester United can confirm that Lisandro Martinez sustained a cruciate ligament injury in the match against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Assessment of the injury is ongoing to determine the appropriate treatment and rehabilitation timeline. Everyone at Manchester United wishes Lisandro Martinez strength for a successful recovery, and we will support him throughout the process.” Since joining United from Ajax in July 2022, Martinez has experienced several serious injuries. The 27-year-old was unable to play for the last six weeks of the 2022-23 season due to a fractured metatarsal and underwent corrective surgery in September 2023, resulting in a four-month absence. The World Cup champion also faced an eight-week hiatus in February and March last year because of a medial collateral ligament injury, followed by a six-and-a-half-week break due to a calf issue. With Martinez sidelined until next season, United now has six specialized centre-backs, including the recent addition of 18-year-old Ayden Heaven from Arsenal. This season, Noussair Mazraoui has also taken on a role in Amorim’s defensive trio, while Casemiro was used as a center-back on seven occasions last season.
