Lisandro Martinez has been out with a serious knee injury for eight months, but Manchester United legend Gordon Hill has raised questions about the centre-back as he steps closer to a return to the team.
Most Manchester United fans are eagerly awaiting the return of Lisandro Martinez.
The 27-year-old has not played a competitive game for United since February of this year, after he injured his cruciate ligament in a 2-0 defeat against Crystal Palace.
As a result, Martinez has been missing for the majority of Ruben Amorim’s first 11 months as United head coach. That is why it is thought to be a boost that he is nearing a return to first-team action.
United are taking a measured approach with Martinez despite the player being close to returning to full training.
Gordon Hill thinks Lisandro Martinez is a stopgap
While Rio Ferdinand is excited about Martinez’s return, the same cannot be said for fellow United legend Gordon Hill.
United need to be wary of further injury setbacks with Martinez because the Argentine has not been able to build on consistency due to injuries for the last two seasons.
Martinez was United’s best defender in his first season at the club, renowned for being strong in the tackle with an eye for a defence-splitting forward pass, but Hill believes he is a stopgap in the team.
Hill says the same about Casemiro, who remains a starter in the team under Amorim.
“I think he’s a stopgap for United,” Hill told United In Focus. “I think they’ve got to get a mainstay. I think he was a stopgap.
“I think Casemiro is a stopgap. I think there are a few players that have just been stopgaps that will do a certain period of time and then all of a sudden… And it’s not the sell-by date. These players have done great. They’ve been fabulous for their country or whatever the teams they played for before.
“But United… We’re not a second-rate club. We are the elite club, and we should be for the elite players. But there comes a time when you’ve got to stop just pulling in the player because he’s a stopgap.”
In Hill’s defence, Martinez was not missed when United beat Liverpool 2-1 at the weekend, but results earlier in the season may suggest otherwise.
Lisandro Martinez closing in on Man Utd milestone
Since joining United from Ajax in 2022, Martinez has made 91 appearances for the club.
That means Martinez could reach the 100 appearance milestone for United if he returns and plays at least nine fixtures this season.
That is not a big ask for a player of Martinez’s quality if he returns to the team before December.
The return of Martinez will also give Amorim more options in defence, which can only be a good thing moving forward.
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