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Erik ten Hag says he does not know whether Lisandro Martinez will be back to face Nottingham Forest

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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has conducted his press conference before the game against Nottingham Forest.

Ten Hag recorded it after the 2-0 win over Burnley, which was missed by Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez after their run to the World Cup final.

He was asked whether either man would be back to face Forest when United resume their Premier League campaign on 27 December.

Ten Hag admitted he did not know but said he had told Lisandro that he needs to be ready for the game despite his ensuing celebrations.

Manchester United v Newcastle United - Premier League
Photo by Tom Purslow/Manchester United via Getty Images

Ten Hag press conference before Manchester United v Forest

When asked if Varane or Martinez would face Forest, Ten Hag said: ‘I can’t answer that question now, he is still celebrating now in Buenos Aires now going around in the touring car!

“Going around in Buenos Aires and I can understand it, it is a very emotional, very loaded when you achieve this World Cup success in your country.

“It is magnificent, it is the highest that you can achieve. Licha also has to understand that on the December 27th, the Premier League is back.


‘”[Varane] is disappointed, as anybody would be after losing the World Cup final. He can also be proud again in the final, with all what he has achieved in his football career, it is a massive performance as a team.

“Even though he finished second it is a massive achievement, because the level of the nation is so high. They came into the final and even in the final they were very close.”

It was always going to be a big challenge for any manager of the players who made the World Cup final to reintegrate them into their squads.

Kylian Mbappe is back at Paris Saint-Germain, which suggests that Varane should return to Old Trafford before too much longer.

Argentina’s players seem a bit tougher to pin down as their celebrations continue, but as Ten Hag hints at, they do have to come back to action soon.

Lisandro is a very professional character and it is hard to see him wanting to miss too much action for United even as he celebrates winning the biggest trophy on earth.