Manchester United were on the losing side against Aston Villa, but there were plenty of positives, including one unexpected moment.
Despite missing eight first-team players, Manchester United’s performance in the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa deserved credit.
United did not deserve the loss, with two moments of magic from Morgan Rogers the only thing that troubled Ruben Amorim’s side.
Who was the Man Utd man of the match in the defeat at Villa?
A positive performance despite the loss… who stood out for you?
United had some good performers, and Amorim deserves credit for his willingness to use the academy, with both Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey making their debut.
But there was another positive for United in the form of a solution emerging at the perfect time in a problem position for Amorim’s side.
Lisandro Martinez is a definitive midfield option for Manchester United
When Bruno Fernandes went off due to injury, there was a lot of concern and wonder over how the midfield would shape up, and surprisingly, Amorim turned to Lisandro Martinez.
Martinez came in to play as the deeper midfielder and immediately put himself ahead of Manuel Ugarte in the pecking order at the club, with the Uruguayan having another horrendous performance.
WHAT did you think of Lisandro Martinez’s performance?🇦🇷
Do you want to see him in midfield again?
Martinez impressed as a six, dictating play and being more defensively solid than Ugarte, which surely adds to the notion that he will be gone either in January or the summer.
With Casemiro returning against Newcastle, but Fernandes potentially out, perhaps it will be Martinez and the Brazilian who start as a pairing.
This isn’t the bravest duo, but it could allow Casemiro to be playing more advanced, where he is very dangerous, or it could see United play a three-man midfield with this pairing alongside Mason Mount.
Martinez’s impressive stats playing as a defensive midfielder for Manchester United
Martinez out-performing Ugarte in a new role and on the comeback from ACL injury is a damning insight into how badly the Uruguayan has dropped.
In his 45 minutes or so, Martinez created one chance for United and, most importantly, boasted a 91 per cent pass completion rate, which left United a lot more secure in possession.
Martinez’s move into midfield is unsurprising considering how good his passing and press resistance are. It feels like a really good method of getting the best out of him.
The Argentinian has long been tipped as a midfield option for United, and he proved these calls correct against Villa.
Going forward, we struggle to see Amorim choosing Ugarte over Martinez, pushing the 24-year-old to fifth choice, which should make his exit more likely in January.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
