Rúben Amorim must go back on his “right moment” comment on Manchester United star after Lisandro Martínez injury

Rúben Amorim must go back on comments he made surrounding one Manchester United star following Lisandro Martínez’s latest injury.

Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon was already a bruising setback for Rúben Amorim and his squad, but the game took an even worse turn with a potentially devastating injury blow.

In the 82nd minute, Lisandro Martínez contested a 50/50 challenge with Palace winger Ismaïla Sarr but came off worse, collapsing to the ground as his knee twisted awkwardly. Replays painted a concerning picture, and it quickly became clear the injury was serious.

The Argentine defender remained on the pitch for five minutes, visibly distressed and in significant pain, as five medics attended to him. He was eventually stretchered off, with Matthijs de Ligt coming on in his place.

Martínez has been a defensive cornerstone under Amorim, starting 15 of United’s last 16 matches and contributing two goals and an assist in 2025. His absence will be a massive blow for the club.

Amorim must go back on his Shaw comments

Martínez is United’s only first-team centre-back who is naturally left-footed, and he has been a mainstay in Amorim’s starting XI’s of late, and has scored twice and assisted another already in 2025.

His dynamic of being left-footed is a considerable benefit to Amorim, and the only other player who can realistically replace him is Luke Shaw, the left-back who has been proficient when playing as a left centre-back in the last few seasons.

However, Shaw has not started a game for United in over a year and has only just returned to training, but Amorim has explained that Shaw may take a little more time to return to match action.

“It can take a little bit more time,” he told reporters last week when asked whether Shaw could make a return to the first-team squad soon.

“I think he needs to train more, to spend more time with his team-mates playing even like normal, small-sided games, not just working alone.

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“He stayed there [at Carrington last week] to make a different type of work, he’s going to get together with the team when we arrive and start from there. When I feel it is the right moment, we will start with some minutes in the games.”

That right moment may have arrived earlier than expected. With United now lacking completely in a first-team centre-back, Shaw is becoming very much needed in the XI.

The club have just secured the signing of 18-year-old Ayden Heaven from Arsenal, who is a left-footed centre-back and is expected to be part of the first team, although it’s unlikely that Amorim will throw him straight into the starting XI.

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