Manchester United’s win against Crystal Palace was a big story for the three points, but the return of Lisandro Martinez was as big a boost, if not bigger, than this one result.
It was a full-circle moment for Lisandro Martinez, as he made his triumphant return to Man Utd colours against the same team he got injured against.
He picked up his serious injury at Old Trafford against Crystal Palace, and saw out the 2-1 win against Palace on his return.
Man Utd were elated at seeing him return, but equally as happy was the country of Argentina, for whom Martinez inspires loyalty like no one else.
Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United celebrates victory during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United at Selhurst Park on November 30, 2025
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
How Lisandro Martinez fared on injury return
Martinez made the matchday squad for the Everton game, but United’s needs in that game necessitated that he stay on the bench.
His time finally came against Palace, where he played the last ten minutes and helped see out the win for Ruben Amorim’s men.
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There was the trademark aggression when he found himself out wide challenging the wingers, but he was clearly rusty with the ball.
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That is to be expected after such a long layoff, but the immediate lift in spirits he provides to the team is something that is difficult to quantify.
Expect his minutes to ramp up further when West Ham visit Old Trafford, because his zipped passing will be a necessary tool to break them down.
The Argentine press have already sent an ominous warning after seeing Martinez return in a ‘warrior-like’ fashion.
Argentine press on Lisandro Martinez’s return
Martinez is a huge favourite in Argentina because of his style of play, where he wears his heart on his sleeve, and his accomplishments for the national team.
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Lisandro Martinez in the gym
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
The country’s press was elated with his comeback, with Argentine outlet Ole sending a warning to strikers about to face him.
They wrote, “Smile Manchester, smile England, smile Argentina, smile football, the only ones who won’t be happy about his return are the strikers.”
Infobae ran the headline, “The warrior has returned”, capturing the “truly emotional moment” when he came on for Luke Shaw to punctuate an arduous recovery process.
Minuto Uno said this return “marks a new chapter” in the career of Martinez, who will now make a push to make it Argentina’s World Cup squad next summer.
MDZ wrote that Martinez’s return is “excellent news” for Man Utd, with the “Butcher” also a “fundamental” part of Argentina’s plans.
Rosario Nuestro echoed the sentiment, saying that his return is a “relief for Scaloni”, referring to Argentina’s National Football team manager, Lionel Scaloni.
Finally, El Grafico summed it up perfectly, writing, “His return was eagerly awaited not only by the club but also by Lionel Scaloni and the coaching staff of the Argentine national team, who are closely monitoring the defender, a former key player for the squad. Martínez’s introduction, though brief, held symbolic value: it represents the return of a defensive pillar.”